STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL
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Senior Division No. 287
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THE BLESSING OF DAILY STUDY
"The beauty and riches of the Word have a transforming influence on
mind and character."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 132.
"There is nothing more calculated to strengthen the intellect than the
study of the Scriptures.. . . If God's Word were studied as it should be, men
would have a breadth of mind, a nobility of character, and a stability of
purpose rarely seen in these
times."
—
Steps to Christ,
page 9o.
My Daily Lesson Study Pledge
As one who greatly desires to improve his knowledge of the Scriptures, I
pledge myself to the careful and prayerful study of some portion of my
Sabbath School lesson each day of the week.
Wwn
Lesson Titles for the Quarter
1.
Opportunity, Apostasy, and Exile
2.
The King of Heaven and the Kings of Babylon
3.
The King of Heaven and the Kings of Persia
4.
God's Purpose for Israel After the Exile
5.
Great Empires of Prophecy
6.
The Great Tyrant of Prophecy
7.
Christ Provides the Master Key
8.
Unlocking the Mysteries of Daniel's Prophecies
9.
Christ Our Great High Priest
10.
The Reign of Antichrist
11.
Christ Our Righteous Judge
12.
Christ Our King
NOTE.—All
Scripture references quoted from Phillips are taken from
The
New Testament in Modern English
by J. B. Phillips, copyright 1958. Used by
permission of the Macmillan Company.
All Scripture references quoted from the N.E.B. are from
The New English
Bible,
copyright by The Delegates of the Oxford University Press and The
Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961. Used by permission of the
Oxford University Press, Inc., New York City.
All Scripture references quoted from
The Amplified New Testament
and
The
Amplified Old Testament
are used by permission of The Lockman Foundation,
Santa Ana, California.
Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, No. 287, January-March, 1967. 20 cents a single copy, 75 cents a
Year (four issues) '
• no additional charge to countries requiring extra postage. Published in the U.S.A.
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Copyright, 1966, by Pacific Press Publishing Association
Printed in U.S.A.
COVER, ROBERT AYRES, ARTIST. © P.P.P.A.
Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly
STUDIES IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL
Introduction
The focal point of the book of Daniel
is the climax of earth's history, when time
blends into eternity and the transient
kingdoms of this world become the eternal
kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ. Looking forward to that grand
event, however, the angel of prophecy
cautions Daniel that those who live for
God and look with longing hearts for the
establishment of His righteous reign on
earth must pass through a period of gross
apostasy and bitter persecution. Through
the nations of earth Satan will oppose
God's purpose and oppress His faithful
people.
A careful study of the books of Daniel
and the Revelation is most important in
our time. Note the following:
"As we near the close of this world's
history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel
demand our special attention, as they re-
late to the very time in which we arc
living."—Prophets and Kings,
page 547.
"The light that Daniel received from
God was given especially for these last
days. The visions he saw, . . . are now in
process of fulfillment, and all the events
foretold will soon come to pass. . . .
"When we as a people understand what
this book means to us, there will be seen
among us a great
revival."—Testimonies to
Ministers,
page 113.
"We are standing on the threshold of
great and solemn events. Many of the
prophecies are about to be fulfilled in
quick
succession."—Testimonies to Minis-
ters,
page 116.
"We need to study the working out of
God's purpose in the history of nations
and in the revelation of things to come,
that we may estimate at their true value
things seen and things unseen; that we
may learn what is the true aim of life;
that, viewing the things of time in the
light of eternity, we may put them to their
truest and noblest use. Thus, learning here
the principles of His kingdom and becom-
ing its subjects and citizens, we may be
prepared at His coming to enter with Him
into its possession."—Education, page 184.
It would be impossible to compress
within the limited space of twelve brief
lessons all that might be said about the
book of Daniel. Those who wish a more
complete understanding of its message for
the church today will find a variety of
references listed for enrichment. In a num-
ber of instances additional Scripture refer-
ences are given following the notation,
"See also."
Because the book of Daniel was written
long ago when the Jews were still God's
chosen people, its words, expressions, and
concepts may often seem unfamiliar. Fur-
thermore, much of it reflects a historical
situation that is more or less strange to
us, and many of its predictions have al-
ready met their fulfillment in the great
empires of antiquity and down through
the centuries since the fall of Rome. His-
torical perspective is helpful in seeing the
various predictions in relation to each
other. To provide such a perspective, the
introductions to some lessons are some-
what longer than usual. These introductions
are intended to provide a helpful back-
ground for the study of the respective
lessons.
The first six chapters of Daniel arc
largely a narrative of Daniel's experiences
during the Babylonian exile. This narra-
tive presents God at work behind the
scenes of history to accomplish His benefi-
cent purpose for His people and for this
world. The last six chapters report a
series of visions concerning future events
from Daniel's day down to the close of
time. The first four of this quarter's les-
sons focus on the historical section of
Daniel, with a backward glance at God's
purpose for His people Israel and a for-
ward glance at His purpose for them upon
their return from exile.
Lessons 5 and 6 present a composite
summary of all of the information Gabriel
imparted to Daniel, without attempting
(in these two lessons) to interpret it.
Lessons 7 through 12 turn to the New
Testament for the interpretation and ap-
plication of the prophecies of Daniel given
by Christ and the various New Testament
writers.
[
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1
Lesson 1, for January 7, 1967
Opportunity, Apostasy, and Exile
MEMORY VERSE:
"Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy
God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people
that are upon the face of the earth." Deut. 7:6.
SCRIPTURE:
Daniel 1.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," pages 284-290; "Prophets and Kings,"
pages 479-490; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary" on references cited, and Vol. 4,
pp. 25-38; "S.D.A. Bible Dictionary" and "S.D.A. Bible Students' Source Book"
on persons, places, and events.
STUDY AIM:
To review God's purpose for Israel as a nation and in the Babylonian
exile, as a background for understanding the book of Daniel; to become
acquainted with Daniel as God's man for the hour.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. A Glorious Opportunity
1.
Israel's unique privilege. Ex. 19:
3-8; Deut. 7:6.
2.
The covenant blessings. Deut.
28:2-13.
3.
The covenant conditions. Deut.
28:1, 2, 13, 14.
4.
A sacred trust. Gen. 22:18;
Deut. 28:10.
II.
A Diimal Failure
5. A knowledge of God's purpose.
Rom. 3:1, 2; Jer. 35:15.
6. The Lord's vineyard. Isa. 5:1, 2;
27:6.
7. Wild grapes. Isa. 5:2-7; Ezek.
22:23-31.
III. Banished to Babylon
8. The reason for the Babylonian
exile. Deut. 29:24-28; Dan. 9:5-12.
9. Purpose of the exile. Deut.
30:1-3 ; Jer. 30:11.
10. Hope for the future. Jer. 32.
37-42.
IV. God's Man for
the
Hour
11. Daniel in exile. Dan. 1:1-6.
12. Daniel's character and personality.
Dan. 5:11, 14; 6:3, 4.
13. Qualifications for the prophetic
office. Dan. 1:17.
THE LESSON
Introduction
to be the 'recipient of timely messages. for
His people, upon their return from exile
As a background for studying the book of
and during future generations. Understand-
Daniel, this lesson reviews God's glorious
ing what the visions and the: words of
purpose for Israel as His chosen people
Gabriel meant to Daniel and his contem-
in Old Testament times, the situation that
poraries, we may discern in them a .new
made the Babylonian exile necessary, and
vividness and beauty, and thus be. better
God's purpose in it. Attention is also given
prepared to gather from them their deeper
to His choice of Daniel to be Heaven's
lessons for ourselves today. (See
Thoughts
ambassador at the court of Babylon, and
From the Mount of Blessing,
page 1.)
[ 4 ]
A Glorious Opportunity
1.
To what unique privilege and
favored role did God call Israel of
old? Ex. 19:3-8; Deut. 7:6.
NOTE.—At Mount Sinai God invited
Israel as a nation to enter into a special
covenant relationship with Him. They ac-
cepted Him as their sovereign ruler and
promised to be
His
people and to cooperate
with His purposes for them.
"From a race of slaves the Israelites had
been exalted above all peoples, to be the
peculiar treasure of the King of
kings."--
Patriarches and Prophets,
page 314.
"They entered into a solemn covenant
with God, pledging themselves to. accept
Him as their .ruler, ,by which they became,
in a special sense, the subjects of His
authority."—Ibid., p. 303.
2.
What unique blessings did God
promise Israel through the covenant
relationship? Deut. 28:2-13. See also
4:6; 7:12-15; 8:17, 18; 30:9.
NoTE.—God purposed to make Israel
an example of the infinite superiority of the
way of life that He, as man's Creator, had
ordained—a living demonstration that in
cooperation with Him man can attain to
the loftiest heights of which he is capable,
and find supreme happiness. To this end
God purposed to bless His people with
perfect health, vigorous intellect, and su-
perior vocational skills. As a result, they
would enjoy the highest standard of living
of any nation and become, in every way,
the greatest nation on the face of the
earth. He would instruct them as to how
they might attain these objectives, and they
on their part were to cooperate with His
wise instructions. To their best efforts God
promised to add Heaven's richest blessing,
and in life and character they were to re-
flect His principles to the world. See
Christ's Object Lessons,
pages 288, 289
Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 378.
3.
What conditions did God at-
tach to the covenant privilege and
blessings? What did He expect in
return? Deut. 28:1, 2, 13; 14. See also
Deut. 4:9; Jer. 18:7-10.
NOTE.—As with all of God's promises and
warnings, the covenant blessings were con-
ditional upon Israel's cooperation. Again
and again we find the word "if" attached to
the. promised blessings. "It should be re-
membered that the promises and the
threatenings of God are alike conditional."
—Evangelism,
page 695.
4.
What sacred trust accompanied
the covenant privileges and blessings?
Gen. 22:18; Deut. 28:10. See also
Deut. 4i6, 7.
NOTE.—"God had separated them from
the world, that He might commit to them
a sacred trust. He had made them the
depositaries of His law, and He purposed,
through them, to preserve among men the
knowledge of Himself. Thus the light of
Heaven was to shine out to a world en-
shrouded in darkness, and a voice was to
be heard appealing to all peoples to turn
from their idolatry to serve the living God."
--Patriarchs and Prophets,
page 314.
A Dismal Failure
5.
What. unique opportunity did
Israel have for knowing and cooper-
ating with God's infinite purpose for
them as a nation? Rom. 3:1, 2; Jet.
35:15.
NoTE.—In the priceless gift of Holy
Writ, God entrusted His people with the
key to heaven's treasure-house' of wisdom
and knowledge. As they cooperated with
His revealed word, they would realize the
most amazing progress in all lines of life
and endeavor. "To this people were com-
mitted the oracles of God. They were
hedged about by the precepts of His law,
the everlasting principles of truth, justice,
and purity. Obedience to these principles
was to be' their protection, for it would
save them from destroying themselveg by
sinful practices."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
pages 287, 288.
6
6.
By what picturesque parable did
Isaiah illustrate Israel's favored role
in Old Testament times? Isa. 5:1, 2;
27:6.
NOTE.—"In obedience to His moral law
the hearts of the people were to reflect
the attributes of His character."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
page 289.
"This was the fruit that God desired
from His people. In the purity of their
characters, in the holiness of their lives,
in their mercy and loving-kindness and
compassion, they were to show that 'the
law of the Lord is perfect, converting the
soul.' Ps.
19:7."—Ibid.,
p. 286.
"God desired to make of His people
Israel a praise and a glory. Every spiri-
tual advantage was given them. God with-
held from them nothing favorable to the
formation of character that would make
them representatives of Himself."—Ibid.,
p. 288.
7.
How did Israel respond to God's
purpose for them as a nation, and
to what crisis did this course of action
eventually lead? Isa. 5:2-7; Ezek. 22:
23-31.
NoTE.—Instead of the mature fruit of
character God sought from His people,
they brought forth the same corrupt fruit
as the nations about them. Occasional ef-
forts at reform proved to be feeble and
transitory, and as the centuries passed the
nation lapsed ever deeper into the dark-
ness of apostasy. "From the time of their
entrance to the land of Canaan, they de-
parted from the commandments of God,
and followed the ways of the heathen. It
was in vain that God sent them warning by
His prophets. In vain they suffered the
chastisement of heathen oppression. Every
reformation was followed by deeper apos-
tasy."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 28.
Again and again God warned His people
that the result of continued disobedience
would be exile from their homeland. These
warnings were fulfilled when Nebuchadnez-
zar overturned the kingdom of Judah and
carried the Jews captive to Babylon.
Banished to Babylon
8.
Why did God remove His peo-
ple from the land He had given them
to possess forever? Deut. 29:24-28;
Dan. 9:5-12. See also Ezra 5:12.
NOTE.—The Hebrew people had inherited
the Land of Promise by virtue of their
covenant with God, but they came to think
of it as theirs by right. As a last resort, and
to impress them with the lesson that the
covenant privileges and blessings, including
the Land of Promise, were theirs only by
virtue of the covenant relationship, God
removed them from the land for a time.
9.
What was God's purpose for
Israel in the Babylonian exile? Deut.
30:1-3; Jer. 30:11.
NoTE.—"The remnant of Judah were to
go into captivity, to learn through ad-
versity the lessons they had refused to
learn under circumstances more favorable."
—Prophets and Kings,
page 453.
"Had Israel been true to God, He could
have accomplished His purpose through
their honor and exaltation. . . . But be-
cause of their unfaithfulness, God's purpose
could be wrought out only through con-
tinued adversity and humiliation."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 28.
10.
What did the future hold in
store for Israel if they learned the
lesson the exile was designed to teach?
Jer. 32:37-42. See also Deut. 30:4-10;
Zech. 10:6.
NOTE.—God purposed, after seventy
years of exile, to restore His people to
the Land of Promise, to renew His cove-
nant, and to carry out His original plan
for them. All that had been promised
might yet come to pass if they learned the
lesson that bitter experience was designed
to teach.
"This promise of blessing should have
met fulfillment in large measure during the
centuries following the return of the
[ 6]
Israelites from the lands of their captivity.
It was God's design that the whole earth
be prepared for the first advent of Christ,
even as today the way is preparing for His
second
coming."—Prophets and Kings,
pages 703, 704.
God's Man for the Hour
11.
What personal information
does Daniel give concerning himself
as an exile? Dan. 1:1-6.
12.
What character and personality
traits that qualified Daniel to be
God's ambassador at the court of
Babylon impressed his captors and
won their confidence? Dan. 5:11, 14;
6:3, 4. See also Dan. 1:4, 8, 9, 15, 17,
20; 2:14, 30, 46-48; 4:19.
NOTE.—"God brought Daniel and his
associates into connection with the great
men of Babylon, that in the midst of a
nation of idolaters they might represent
His character. How did they become fitted
for a position of so great trust and honor?
It was faithfulness in little things that
gave complexion to their whole life. They
honored God in the smallest duties, as well
as in the larger responsibilities."—Prophets
and Kings,
page 487.
13.
What were Daniel's qualifica-
tions for being entrusted with a
revelation of God's purpose for His
people after the exile? Dan. 1:17.
See also Dan. 6:7-10; 9:2, 17-19, 23.
1\161
-
E.—In addition to the basic charac-
ter traits already mentioned, Daniel evi-
dently had a thorough knowledge of God's
will as revealed to His servants the proph-
ets in times past. Sec Dan. 9:2, 6, 10-13.
The mature philosophy of history reflected
in his book characterizes him as a keen
observer of God's dealings with the na-
tions. He was wholly devoted to God's
cause on earth.
Lesson 2, for January 14, 1967
The King of Heaven and the Kings of Babylon
MEMORY VERSE:
"The
Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it
to whomsoever He will." Dan. 4:17.
SCRIPTURES:
Daniel 2:1-30, 46-49; 3; 4; 5.
STUDY HELPS:
"Education," pages 173-184; "Prophets and Kings," pages 491-
538; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary" on references cited, and Vol. 4, pp. 751, 752;
"S.D.A. Bible Dictionary" and "S.D.A. Bible Students' Source Book" on persons,
places, and events.
STUDY AIM:
To trace the steps by which Nebuchadnezzar was won to believe in
the true God, and God's dealings with the Babylonian Empire as an illustration
of the principles of His dealings with all nations.
[ 7 ]
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. A Lord of Kings
1.
Daniel as prime minister of
Babylon. Dan. 1:19 ; 2:48.
2.
Incompetence of the Babylonian
gods. Dan. 2:1-25.
3.
Nebuchadnezzar learns about the
true God. Dan. 2:26-30, 36, 37.
4.
Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges
God's wisdom. Dan. 2:47.
II. The King's Word Changed
5.
Nebuchadnezzar challenges God's
revealed will. Dan. 3:1-7.
6.
God frustrates Nebuchadnezzar's
plan. Dan. 3:8-27.
7. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges
God's power. Dan. 3:28, 29.
III. The Most High Rules
8. Nebuchadnezzar ignores God. Dan.
4:4, 27-30.
9. God's purpose for civil government.
Dan. 4:5-17.
10. Nebuchadnezzar learns the supreme
lesson of life. Dan. 4:28-33.
11. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledges
God's sovereignty. Dan. 4:32, 34-37.
IV. Weighed and Found Wanting
12. Belshazzar defies God. Dan. 5:1-4.
13. Belshazzar seals Babylon's doom.
Dan. 5:22, 23.
14. The fall of Babylon. Dan. 5:25-31.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The historical section of the book of
Daniel (chs. 1 to 6), which serves as a
preface to the prophetic section (chs. 7 to
12), illustrates the true philosophy of
history by providing a detailed account of
God's dealings with the empires of Bab-
ylonia and Persia. An understanding of
the principles here set forth helps to ex-
plain the rise and fall of the other nations
presented in the prophetic section.
The first four chapters of the book nar-
rate the steps by which God eventually
won Nebuchadnezzar's wholehearted al-
legiance. Daniel, God's personal ambassa-
dor to the court of Babylon, is introduced
as a man of vigorous health, giant intellect,
tactful personality, and, above all, loyalty
to principle. His outstanding character and
ability won Nebuchadnezzar's esteem and
confidence. Then came a series of provi-
dential episodes-the dream of the metal-
lic image, the fiery furnace, and the seven
years of insanity-through which God re-
vealed Himself to the king. In the first
of these 'experiences he learned that Dan-
iel's God is "a Lord of kings, and a re-
vealer of secrets"; in the second, that He
is able to protect those who are loyal to
Him, and to change the king's word ; and
in the third, that "the Most High ruleth
in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to
whomsoever He will."
With all of this Nebuchadnezzar's grand-
son Belshazzar was acquainted, but he
refused to humble his heart before God as
his illustrious grandfather had done. As
a result, Babylon was weighed in the di-
vine balances, found wanting, and given
by divine mandate to the Medes and the
Persians.
A Lord of Kings
1.
In what capacity did Daniel
serve the king of Babylon? Dan. 1:19;
2:48.
NOTE.-
"In
the land of their captivity
these men [Christian patriots, among whom
were Daniel and his friends] were to carry
out God's purpose by giving to heathen
nations the blessings that come through
a knowledge of Jehovah. They were to be
His representatives."-Prophets
,
and Kings,
page 479.
."Self-sacrifice is the keynote
of Christ's teachings."-
Counsels on Stewardship,
page 25.
[ 8 ]
2.
Relate briefly the circumstances
under which Gcd first revealed Him-
self to Nebuchadnezzar. Dan. 2:1-25.
NOTE.—In this lesson we are concerned
primarily with the narrative of Daniel 2;
the interpretation of the dream of the me-
tallic image is the subject of Lesson 5.
In order to convince Nebuchadnezzar
that this dream was, indeed, a revelation
from a God superior to all the gods he
knew, it was first necessary to demonstrate
that his gods and his wise men were
powerless to provide him with the infor-
mation he so eagerly desired. Things were
therefore permitted to reach a climax in
which the strongest possible incentives,
honor or death, proved unavailing. In their
extremity the wise men were finally com-
pelled to admit that the solution to the
king's dilemma lay in the hands of a God
of whom they had no knowledge and over
whom they had no influence. Only then
was the king in a state of mind to ap-
preciate and benefit by Daniel's solution
to the problem.
3.
In what tactful way did Daniel
introduce Nebuchadnezzar to the true
God? Dan. 2:26-30, 36,'37.
4.
What did Nebuchadnezzar learn
about God through this experience?
Dan. 2:47.
NOTE.—The fact that the wisest men of
the realm failed to reveal the royal dream,
but that Daniel was able to do so—com-
pletely and accurately—convinced the king
of the infinite superiority of Daniel's God
over his own gods. The first thing Nebu-
chadnezzar learned about the true God
was that He is "a revealer of secrets"
(ch. 2:47), not in the relatively simple
sense of solving enigmas, but in the deeper
sense of providing the right answers to
the major problems of life and empire.
The King's Word Changed
5.
By what special ceremony did
Nebuchadnezzar seek to advance his
rulership? Dan. 3:1-7.
NOTE.—"The dream of the great image,
opening before Nebuchadnezzar events
reaching to the close of time, had been
given that he might understand the part
he was to act in the world's history, and
the relation that his kingdom should sus-
tain to the kingdom of heaven. . . .
"For a time afterward, Nebuchadnezzar
was influenced by the fear of God; but
his heart was not yet cleansed from worldly
ambition and a desire for self-exaltation.
The prosperity attending his reign filled
him with pride. In time he ceased to honor
God, and resumed his idol worship with
increased zeal and bigotry.
"The words, 'Thou art this head of
gold,' had made a deep impression upon
the ruler's mind. Verse 38. The wise men
of his realm, taking advantage of this and
of his return to idolatry, proposed that
he make an image similar to the one seen
in his dream, and set it up where all
might behold the head of gold, which had
been interpreted as representing his king-
dom.
"Pleased with the flattering suggestion,
he determined to carry it out, and to go
even farther. Instead of reproducing the
image as he had seen it, he would excel the
original. His image should not deteriorate
in value from the head to the feet, but
should be entirely of gold—symbolic
throughout of Babylon as an eternal, in-
destructible, all-powerful kingdom, which
should break in pieces all other kingdoms
and stand
forever."—Prophets and Kings,
pages 503, 504.
6.
By what experience or series of
events did God indicate to Nebuchad-
nezzar that he could not with im-
punity oppose the divine will? Dan.
3:8-27.
7.
Through this experience what
did Nebuchadnezzar learn about
God? Dan. 3:28, 29.
[9
]
The Most High Rules
8.
How did pride and prosperity
affect the king's attitude toward what
he knew about God? Dan. 4:4, 27-30.
NOTE.—Nebuchadnezzar forgot that his
splendid accomplishments were not really
his own, but that he was accountable to
the God of heaven for the wisdom and
skill that produced his brilliant military,
architectural, and administrative triumphs.
9.
How did God remind the king
of his responsibility for the prosper-
ity he enjoyed, especially in view of
his knowledge of the divine purpose
for him? Dan. 4:5-17.
10.
Through what difficult experi-
ence did Nebuchadnezzar learn the
supreme lesson of his life? Dan. 4:
28-33.
NoTE.—From supreme monarch, Nebu-
chadnezzar was to be reduced to the so-
ciety of dumb beasts, to eat as they eat,
and to lodge with them under the open
sky. His brilliant intellect was to be re-
duced to the instinctive processes of their
extremely limited minds. Could pride take
a greater tumble?
Insanity descends upon the brilliant mind
of the king, obliterating everything. Reason
departs; the mental faculties fail. The light
of intelligence fades from his eyes, and in
its place there remains nought but the
blank, glassy stare that marks the dumb
brute, and with it an elemental desire for
a few blades .of grass to eat and a pile
of straw on which to spend the night. No
longer does Nebuchadnezzar envision him-
self as the builder of Babylon and the
ruler of a vast empire whose borders touch
the ends of the earth. He is an ox!
11.
What did Nebuchadnezzar
learn about God through this experi-
ence? Dan.
4:32,
34-37.
NOTE.—"The once proud monarch had
become a humble child of God; the tyran-
nical, overbearing ruler,
a
wise and com-
passionate king. He who
had
defied and
blasphemed the God of heaven, now
acknowledged the power of the Most High,
and earnestly sought to promote the fear
of Jehovah and the happiness of his sub-
jects. Under the rebuke of Him who is
King of kings and Lord of lords, Nebu-
chadnezzar had learned at last the lesson
which all rulers need to learn--that true
greatness consists in true goodness."—
Prophets and Kings,
page 521.
Weighed and Found Wanting
12.
How did the last king of
Babylon demonstrate his utter de-
fiance of the God of heaven? Dan.
5:1-4.
Nom—This orgy was staged in mockery
of the God of Israel.
13.
What attitude on- the part of
Belshazzar sealed Babylon's doom?
Dan. 5:22, 23.
14.
What divine decree was finally
issued against Babylon? With what
result? Dan. 5:25-31.
NOTE.—"Every nation that has come
upon the stage of action has-been permitted
to occupy its place on the earth, that the
fact might be determined whether it would
fulfill the purposes of the Watcher and
the Holy One. Prophecy has traced the
rise and progress of the world's great em-
pires—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and
Rome. With each of these, as with the
nations of less power, history has repeated
itself. Each has had its period of test;
each has failed, its glory faded, its power
departed.
"While nations have rejected God's prin-
ciples, and in this rejection have wrought
their own ruin, yet a divine, overruling pur-
pose has manifestly been at work through-
out the
ages."—Prophets and Kings,
page
535.
,
[10]
Lesson 3, for January 21, 1967
The King of Heaven and the Kings of Persia
MEMORY VERSE:
"Cyrus . . . is My shepherd, and shall perform all My pleasure:
even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy
foundation shall be laid." Isa. 44:28.
SCRIPTURES:
Daniel 6; 9:1-25; 10:1-6, 20.
STUDY HELPS:
"Prophets and Kings," pages 539-581, 607-645; "S.D.A. Bible
Commentary" on references cited, and Vol. 3, pp. 67-79; "S.D.A. Bible
Dictionary" and "S.D.A. Bible Students' Source Book" on persons, places,
and events.
STUDY AIM:
To trace God's dealings with Darius and Cyrus, and the influences
that led to the royal decrees to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. God Makes Himself Known to Darius
1.
Daniel at
the Persian court.
Dan. 6:1-4, 28.
.
2.
God introduces Himself to Darius.
Dan. 6:4-23.
3.
Darius asknowledges the true God.
Dan. 6:25-27.
II. Expiration of the Seventy Years
of Exile
4.
Exile and restoration both foretold.
Dan. 9:2, 6, 11-13.
5.
Daniel's intercessory prayer.
Dan. 9:3-5, 17, 19.
6. God's answer to Daniel's prayer.
Dan. 9:20-25.
III. The Decree to Restore and Build
7. Isaiah's prediction. Isa. 44:24-28;
45:1, 13.
8. The decree of Cyrus. Ezra 1:1-4;
5:13-15.
9. A mysterious crisis. Dan. 10:13, 20.
IV. The Work of Restoration Completed
10. The decree of Darius. Ezra 6:7, 8.
11. The temple completed. Ezra 6:
13-15.
12. The decree of Artaxerxes. Ezra
7:1, 6, 8, 11, 13.
13. The wall completed. Neh. 4:16-18;
6:1-3, 15, 16.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The fall of Babylon and the coming of
Cyrus foreshadowed the imminent fulfill-
ment of the prophecies of Isaiah (Isa. 44:
24-28; 45:1-13) and Jeremiah (Jer. 29:4-
14). In anticipation of the release of His
people and the restoration of Jerusalem
and the temple, God introduced Himself to
Darius as He formerly had to Nebuchad-
nezzar. The experience of the lions' den
brought Daniel favorably to the attention
of the Persian rulers, and evidently opened
the way for an opportunity to bring the
prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah to their
attention (see Ezra 1:2). As Nebuchad-
nezzar had been God's servant in causing
the exile, so Cyrus became His servant in
effecting their restoration.
God Makes Himself Known
to Darius
1. What was Daniel's official posi-
tion and reputation under the new
government of Persia? Dan. 6:1-4, 28.
NoTE.—Darius the Mede, so Daniel re-
lates, "set over the kingdom a hundred and
twenty satraps," or local governors, to
administer its affairs, and over these sa-
traps, "three presidents, of whom Daniel
was one." As might be expected, Daniel
was soon "distinguished above all the other
presidents and satraps, because an excellent
spirit was in him." Dan. 6:1-3, R.S.V. His
obvious sincerity, integrity, and faithful-
ness to duty, and his gracious personality
won the confidence and trust of the Medes
and Persians as it had that of the Chal-
deans.
2.
Relate the experience by which
God introduced Himself to Darius.
Dan. 6:4-23.
3.
Through this experience what
did Darius learn about the true God?
Dan. 6:25-27.
NOTE.—"In delivering Daniel from the
lions' den, God demonstrated His power
and authority before the rulers of the
Persian Empire (see ch. 6:20-23; PK 557)
as He had previously before those of
Babylon. An edict of Darius the Mede
acknowledged 'the living God' and ad-
mitted that He is 'steadfast for ever'
(v. 26). Even 'the law of the Medes and
Persians, which altereth not' (v. 8), was
obliged to yield before the decrees of 'the
Most High,' who `ruleth in the kingdom
of men' (ch.
4:32)."—S.D.A. Bible Com-
mentary,
Vol. 4, p. 752.
" 'Time is money,' and a
waste of time is a waste of
money to the cause of God.
. . . If all would use their
time to the best account, very
much means would be saved
to the cause of
truth."—Tes-
timonies,
Vol. 4, p. 451.
Expiration of the Seventy Years
of Exile
4.
As Daniel studied the writings
of Moses and the prophets, what did
he learn about the exile? Dan. 9:2, 6„
11-13. Compare Deut. 4:25-31; 28:15,
63, 64.
NOTE.—As Daniel studied the writings
of Moses and the prophets, especially
Jeremiah—the canonical Scriptures of his
day—he came to understand the reason
for the captivity and God's purpose in it,
and the fact that the end of the appointed
time of exile was at hand. As a result, he
interceded with God on behalf of his peo-
ple, that the promise of release and res-
toration might be fulfilled.
5.
What burden lay heavily on
Daniel's heart? List the main points
in his intercessory prayer. Dan. 9:3-5,
17, 19.
NOTE.—The ninth chapter of Daniel is
dated to the first year of Darius, whose
reign is thought to have lasted only about
one year. The prayer experience of chapter
6 thus came within the same year as that
of chapter 9. In the lions' den episode
Satan evidently sought to thwart the re-
lease and restoration of the Jews by de-
stroying Daniel, who was M a key position
to influence the Persian rulers to cooperate
with God's purpose.
Like Moses at Sinai, Daniel intercedes
on behalf of his people. Confessing their
sins, he pleads that God will cause His
face to shine upon Jerusalem, which is
desolate. He mentions the writings of
Moses and the prophets and their predic-
tions of the exile, its duration, and the
release from it. He cites, as the reason for
the exile, Israel's perverse refusal to co-
operate with God. The exile was discipli-
nary in nature and would come to an end
when those who were exiled had learned
the lesson it was designed to teach. God
is merciful and forgiving as well as just,
and as He once delivered His people from
Egyptian slavery, so surely' He will deliver
them from exile in Babylon.
6.
What answer came as Daniel
prayed? How complete was the res-
toration promised? Dan. 9:20-25.
NOTE.—The moment Daniel began to
pray, God began to answer his prayer. The
angel Gabriel was dispatched to inform
the praying prophet that the order for the
release of the exiles had been issued in
heaven, and that it would soon become
effective in a "commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem." Dan. 9:25.
The Decree to Restore and Build
7.
What prediction had Isaiah
made concerning Cyrus nearly two
centuries prior to this decree? Isa.
44:24-28; 45:1, 13.
NOTE.—"The deliverance of Daniel from
the den of lions had been used of God to
create a favorable impression upon the
mind of Cyrus the Great. . . . And now,
just at the time God had said He would
cause His temple at Jerusalem to be re-
built, He moved upon Cyrus as His agent
to discern the prophecies concerning him-
self, with which Daniel was so familiar,
and to grant the Jewish people their
liberty.
"As the king saw the words foretelling,
more than a hundred years before his
birth, the manner in which Babylon should
be taken; . . . his heart was profoundly
moved, and he determined to fulfill his
divinely appointed mission. He would let
the Judean captives go free; he would
help them restore the temple of Jehovah."
—Prophets and Kings,
pages 557, 558.
8.
What did the decree of Cyrus
specify with respect to the Jews and
to Jerusalem? Ezra 1:1-4; 5:13-15.
9.
What allusion is made to a
crisis that arose during the third year
of Cyrus? Dan. 10:13, 20. Compare
verses 2, 3.
NOTE.—"While Satan was striving to
influence the, highest powers in the kingdom
of Medo-Persia to show disfavor to God's
people, angels worked in behalf of the
exiles. The controversy was one in which
all heaven was interested. Through the
prophet Daniel we are given a glimpse of
this mighty struggle between the forces
of good and the forces of evil. For three
weeks Gabriel wrestled with the powers
of darkness, seeking to counteract the in-
fluences at work on the mind of Cyrus;
and before the contest closed, Christ Him-
self came to Gabriel's aid. . . . The victory
was finally gained; the forces of the enemy
were held in check all the days of Cyrus,
and all the days of his son Cambyses, who
reigned about seven and half years."—
Prophets and Kings,
pages •571, 572.
The Work of Restoration
Completed
10.
When enemies hindered the
work of rebuilding, what providen-
tial decree was issued? Ezra 6:7, 8.
NoTE.—The Samaritans induced the False
Smerdis (an unscrupulous impostor called
Artaxerxes in Ezra 4:7), to issue a decree
forbidding the Jews to rebuild their temple
and city. The work came to a halt, and
discouragement pervaded the hearts of the
returned exiles. But God raised up the
prophets Haggai and Zechariah to en-
courage them, and in faith they began to
work on the temple again despite the
harassment of the Samaritans and a royal
edict to the contrary. Providentially, Darius
Hystaspes, who had succeeded the False
Smerdis on the throne of Persia, issued a
decree ordering the rebuilding of the temple
to proceed.
11.
Under what circumstances was
the temple finally completed? Ezra
6:13-15. Compare Jer. 39:1, 2, 8.
t 13 ]
NoTE.—Jerusalem fell and was destroyed
by Nebuchadnezzar in the eleventh year
of Zedekiah, about July 19, 586 B.C. The
temple was completed a little more than
70 years later in the sixth year of Darius
the Great, or about March 12, 515 B.c.
12. What did the decree of Arta-
xerxes, issued in 457 B.C., specify?
Who supervised its execution? Ezra
7:1, 6, 8, 11, 13.
NoTE.—The reign of Artaxerxes "saw the
return of a company of Jews under Ezra,
the completion of the walls of Jerusalem
by Nehemiah and his associates, the re-
organization of the temple services, and
the great religious reformations instituted
by Ezra and Nehemiah. During his long
rule, he often showed favor to God's peo-
ple; and in his trusted and well-beloved
Jewish friends, Ezra and Nehemiah, he
recognized men of God's appointment,
raised up for a special
work."—Prophets
and Kings,
page 607.
13. Under what circumstances was
the city wall completed? Who led out
in this project? Neh. 4:16-18; 6:1-3,
15, 16.
NOTE.-"By messengers from Judea, the
Hebrew patriot learned that days of trial
had come to Jerusalem, the chosen city.
The returned exiles were suffering afflic-
tion and reproach. The temple and por-
tions of the city had been rebuilt; but the
work of restoration was hindered, the
temple services were disturbed, and the
people kept in constant alarm, by the fact
that the walls of the city were still largely
in
ruins."—Prophets and Kings,
pages 62S,
629.
"Notwithstanding the plots of enemies,
open and secret, the work of building went
steadily forward, and in less than two
months from the time of Nehemiah's ar-
rival in Jerusalem, the city was girded
with its defenses, and the builders could
walk upon the walls, and look down upon
their defeated and astonished foes."—/bid.,
p. 657.
The wall was completed in the twentieth
year of Artaxerxes, September 21, 444 B.C.
Lesson 4, for January 28, 1967
God's Purpose for Israel After the Exile
MEMORY VERSE:
"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put
within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will
give you an heart of flesh." Ezek. 36:26.
SCRIPTURE:
Daniel 9:24-27.
STUDY HELPS:
"Prophets and Kings," pages 703-721; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary"
on references cited, and Vol. 4, pp. 28-32.
STUDY
AIM:
To
understand
and
appreciate God's
purpose
for the salvation of
the world through the Jewish people during the restoration era that followed
the Babylonian exile.
E
14
3
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. The Seventy "Weeks of Years"
1.
Seventy "weeks of years" allotted
the Jewish nation. Dan. 9:24.
2.
The restoration decree. Dan. 9:25;
Ezra 1:1-4; 6:14; 7:1, 8-13.
3.
Events during the seventy "weeks
of years." Dan. 9:24-2 7.
II. The Restoration Era
4.
God's purpose for the restoration
era. Ezek. 36:11, 24-28.
5.
All of God's promises to be fulfilled.
Zech. 1:16, 17; 2:4, 5, 10-12; 6:15.
III. A Light to the Nations
6. Israel's witness to the true God.
Isa. 60:1-3.
7. The river of salvation. Ezek.
47:1-12.
8. The nations respond. Zech. 2:11;
8:20-23.
IV. The Coming of Messiah
9. "Messiah the Prince." Dan. 9:25.
10. "Behold, thy King cometh."
Zech. 9:9.
11. The fountain of salvation. Zech.
12:10; 13:1, 6, 7.
V. The Kingdom of Messiah
12. The establishment of everlasting
righteousness. Dan. 9:24; Micah
4:1, 2, 7-10.
13. Inauguration of the Messianic
kingdom. Zech. 14:1-4, 8, 9, 16.
THE LESSON
ecies, once the Jewish nation had ceased
to be God's chosen instrument for the
conversion of the world.
Introduction
According to Daniel 9:24, R.S.V., sev-
enty "weeks of years," or 490 years, dating
from the restoration decree, were allotted
the Jews in which to fulfill their appointed
mission as the covenant people. This is
known as the restoration era. As the in-
spired writers make abundantly clear, it
was God's purpose that the good news of
salvation should go to all the world during
this period of time, and that Messiah should
come, die for His people, rise again, and
establish His eternal kingdom. What. God
is accomplishing through His church on
earth today, He originally purposed to do
for the world through Israel, the chosen
nation, during the restoration era. See
Prophets and Kings,
pages 713, 714.
Much additional information about God's
purpose for the returned exiles is provided
by other Old Testament writers of the
captivity-restoration era. Their perspective
is helpful in understanding how, in the
purpose of God, the prophecies of Daniel
could—and would—have been fulfilled to
literal Israel had her rulers and people
proved faithful to their covenant privileges
and responsibilities. This insight into what
might have been, provides a firm basis for
understanding the way in which Christ
and the New Testament writers later in-
terpreted and applied these same proph-
The Seventy "Weeks of Years"
1. What period of time was al-
lotted the Jews after the exile in
which to measure up to their cove-
nant privileges and responsibilities?
Dan. 9:24.
NOTE
.—The Hebrew word translated
"weeks" is a derived form of the word
for "seven," meaning a .period of time
made' up of seven units or subdivisions,
whether seven days or seven years—a
hebdomad. In chapter 10:2 Daniel relates
that he was in mourning for "three full
weeks," literally, "three full hebdomads
[weeks] of days." Evidently, when Daniel
intended a hebdomad of days he considered
it necessary to add (according to the He-
brew text) the qualifying phrase "of days"
to the word "hebdomad [week]," in order
to make clear that these hebdomads were
"weeks" of days and not years, as in
chapter 9:24. In recognition of this fact,
the R.S.V. translates Daniel 9:24, "weeks
of years."
Accordingly, from the going forth of the
restoration decree seventy times seven
[ 15 ]
years, or 490 years, were allotted to the
Jews in which to fulfill their covenant
role as God's chosen instrument for the
conversion of the world, in preparation for
the coming of Messiah. They were to "fin-
ish"—to be done forever—with "the trans-
gression," or apostasy, that had precipi-
tated the Babylonian exile, and "to make
an end of sins." Messiah would come "to
make reconciliation for iniquity" by His
death on the cross, and "to bring in ever-
lasting righteousness" by establishing His
everlasting, righteous reign. This period of
time was also to witness the anointing of
"the most holy," and to confirm "the
vision and the prophecy" of chapter 8.
2.
When were the seventy "weeks
of years" to begin? Dan. 9:25; Ezra
1:1-4; 6:14; 7:1, 8-13.
NOTE.—The 490-year restoration era was
to commence with "the going forth of the
commandment to restore and to build
Jerusalem." The decree of Cyrus was
issued at most only a few months later
than the episode of chapter 9. But because
of the dilatory conduct of the returned
exiles, a second decree, that of Darius,
became necessary about 520 o.c., and even-
tually a third, by Artaxerxes, in 457 B.C.
The very fact that a second and a third
decree were required in order to complete
the work of restoration testifies to the in-
effective results that followed the first de-
cree by Cyrus. For this reason we take
the third decree, that of Artaxerxes in
457 B.C., as "the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem" referred to in
Daniel 9:25, and thus as marking the' com-
mencement of the 490 years allotted the
Jewish people.
3.
What events were to take place
during the seventy weeks of years?
Dan. 9:24-27.
NoTE.—In addition to the points listed
in verse 24 (see note to question 1), Jeru-
salem was to be completely restored, Mes-
siah was to come and to be "cut off," a
foreign "prince" was to "destroy the city
and the sanctuary," there would be war and
desolation to the close of the seventy
weeks of years. Then that which God had
already determined would be "poured out"
upon the alien • prince, the desolator.
The Restoration Era
4.
What was God's purpose for the
Jews as a nation following the exile?
Ezek. 36:11, 24-28. See also Jer. 31:
31-34.
NOTE.—"This promise of blessing should
have met fulfillment in large measure dur-
ing the centuries following the return of the
Israelites from the lands of their captivity.
It was God's design that the whole earth
be prepared for th first advent of Christ,
even as today the way is preparing for
His second
coming."—Prophets and Kings,
pages 703, 704.
Taken in their literary and historical
context, all of the Old Testament promises
looking forward to a future restoration
were given with the return from Bab-
ylonian exile in view. All that had been
promised by Moses and the prophets might
yet have come to pass if leaders and people
proved loyal to their covenant privileges
and responsibilities. Their restoration and
prosperity were to be conditional on a
transformation of the heart.
5.
What promises were given
through the prophet Zechariah soon
after the return from Babylon? Zech.
1:16, 17; 2:4, 5, 10-12; 6:15. See also
8:1-8.
A Light to the Nations
•
6.
What witness were the Jews to
bear to the nations during the restora-
tion era? Isa. 60:1-3. See also Isa.
49:3, 6; 56:6, 7.
NoTo.—The glorious prophecies of Isaiah
40 to 66, which in their original setting
applied specifically to this restoration era,
provide a picture of what God purposed to
accomplish in and through the Jewish
nation during that time.
[ 16 ]
In Isaiah, as in Daniel and Zechariah,
Messiah would come and die (ch. 53), the
gospel would go to all the world (chs. 54
to 62) ; at His coming the Lord would
destroy those who rejected His mercy
(chs. 63 and 64), and establish His. uni-
versal, eternal reign of righteousness (chs.
65 and 66).
7.
By what figure did Ezekiel illus-
trate Israel's postexilic mission to the
nations following the exile? Ezek.
47:1-12.
NorE.—In a slightly different sequence,
Ezekiel presents the same picture of the
restoration era as Daniel, Zechariah, and
Isaiah. Exile (Ezekiel 1 to 33) is followed
by restoration (chs. 34 to 37). The nations
will come against Jerusalem, but the Lord
will fight for His people (chs. 38 and 39).
The sanctuary will be reestablished (chs.
40 to 46), Messiah the Prince will come
(ch. 44:1-3), the gospel will go to the
nations (ch. 47), and the Lord Himself
will reign
in
Jerusalem (ch. 48).
8.
How would the nations respond
to Israel's appeal? Zech. 2:11; 8:
20-23.
NOTE.
-"It
was God's purpose that by
the revelation of His character through
Israel men should be drawn unto Him. To
all the world the gospel invitation was to be
given. Through the teachings of the sacri-
ficial service Christ was to be uplifted be-
fore the nations, and all who would look
unto Him should live. All who, like Rahab
the Canaanite, and Ruth the Moabitess,
turned from idolatry to the worship of
the true God, were to unite themselves
with His chosen people. As the numbers of
Israel increased, they were to enlarge their
borders, until their kingdom should em-
brace the
world."—Christ's Object Lessons,
page 290.
The Coming of Messiah
9.
In what words did Daniel fore-
tell the coming of the Messiah? Dan.
9:25.
10.
What did the prophet Zech-
ariah say of Messiah's coming? Zech.
9:9. See also Zech. 3:8; 6:11-13.
11.
What passages in Zechariah
were later recognized as foretelling
the Messiah's vicarious death? Zech.
12:10; 13:1, 6, 7.
NOTE.—New Testament writers specifi-
cally applied the various Messianic passages
of Zechariah to Christ. Compare Zech.
9:9 with Matt. 21:4, 5; Zech. 12:10 with
John 19:34; and Zech. 13:7 with Matt.
26:31.
The Kingdom of Messiah
12.
What was the ultimate goal of
the restoration era following the ex-
ile? Dan. 9:24; Micah 4:1, 2, 7-10.
See also Jer. 3:17.
NOTE.-"If
Jerusalem had known what
it was her privilege to know, and had
heeded the light which Heaven had sent
her, she might have stood forth in the pride
of prosperity, the queen of kingdoms, free
in the strength of her God-given power.
She might . . . have been . . . the mighty
metropolis of the earth. From her walls
the dove of peace would have gone forth
to all nations. She would have been the
world's diadem of glory."—The
Desire of
Ages,
page 577.
13.
How was the Messianic king-
dom to be established? Zech. 14:1-4,
8, 9, 16. See also Mal. 4:1-6.
NOTE.—Had Israel been faithful to God
and fulfilled her assigned role during the
restoration era as God intended, His
eternal kingdom would have been estab-
lished at Jerusalem in the long ago. The
conditional prophecies of Isaiah, Ezekiel,
Daniel, and Zechariah concerning Israel
would have met their literal fulfillment,
1
17
]
and Christ would have inaugurated His
righteous reign as "king over all the earth."
But, as a nation, the people of Israel
failed to achieve the high destiny marked
out for them. They rejected the Messiah
when He came, and God in turn rejected
them from being His people.
The theme of Lessons 5 to 12 is the way
in which God's purpose, as set forth in
the prophetic messages of Daniel, is ac-
tually being worked out in history.
Lesson 5, for February 4, 1967
Great Empires of Prophecy
MEMORY VERSE:
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that
He is Lord of heaven and earth, . . . hath made of one blood all nations of
men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times
before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; that they should seek
the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him."
Acts 17:24-27.
SCRIPTURES:
Daniel
2:31-43; 7:1-7, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24; 8:1-8, 21, 22; 11:1-4.
STUDY HELPS:
"Education," pages 173-184; "S.D.A. Bible Commentary" on
references cited, and Vol. 4, pp. 752, 753.
STUDY AIM:
To establish a basis for identifying the great tyrant of prophecy and
for pinpointing the great future persecution and apostasy.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Babylon—Queen of Kingdoms
1.
The head of gold. Dan. 2:32 (first
part), 37, 38.
2.
The lion with eagle's wings.
Dan. 7:3, 4, 17.
II. The Splendor of Persia
3.
The breast and arms of silver.
Dan. 2:32 (second part), 39 (first
part).
4.
The bear that raised up itself on
one side. Dan. 7:5.
5.
The ram with two horns. Dan.
8:3, 4, 20.
6.
Persia in Daniel 11. Dan. 11:2-4.
III. The Glory of Greece
7.
Thighs of bronze. Dan. 2:32
(last part), 39 (last part).
8.
The four-winged leopard. Dan. 7:6.
9.
The goat with a notable horn.
Dan. 8:5-8, 21, 22.
10.
A mighty king; a divided kingdom.
Dan. 11:2-4.
IV. The Grandeur of Rome
11.
The legs of iron. Dan. 2:33, 40.
12.
The dreadful beast with ten horns.
Dan. 7:7, 19, 23.
13.
The little horn (first phase).
Dan. 8:9, 23-25.
14.
The division of Rome. Dan. 2:33,
41-43; 7:7, 20, 24.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Daniel dismisses the four great empires
of prophecy with scant notice, and focuses
attention on the great future period of
apostasy and persecution that was to
culminate in the establishment of God's
eternal kingdom. The great empires are
mentioned primarily by way of providing
a time bridge between Daniel's day and
that far-off, future crisis.
[
18]
Instead of taking up each of the visions
separately—as is usually done in a study
of Daniel—this lesson combines all of the
information in all the visions for a more
complete, composite picture, point by point.
"Prophecy has traced the rise and fall of
the world's great empires—Babylon, Medo-
Persia, Greece, and Rome. With each of
these, as with nations of less power, history
repeated itself. Each had its period of test,
each failed, its glory faded, its power de-
parted, and its place was occupied by an-
other.
"While the nations rejected God's prin-
ciples, and in this rejection wrought their
own ruin, it was still manifest that the
divine, overruling purpose was working
through all their
movements."—Education,
page 177.
Babylon—Queen of Kingdoms
1.
How is the Babylonian Empire
portrayed in the dream of the metallic
image? Dan. 2:32 (first part), 37, 38.
Nom—Babylon dominated the world
scene from 605 to 539 B.C. Gold was an
appropriate symbol for the New Bab-
ylonian Empire. In wealth and splendor it
surpassed all its predecessors. Its capital
city, Babylon, was the envy of the ancient
world, and today its ruins mutely confirm
the Scripture narrative. Its name became
the symbol for riches and grandeur.
2.
How is Babylon represented in
the vision of the four beasts? Dan.
7:3, 4, 17.
NoTE.—The lion, the Babylonians' own
favorite decorative motif, was an appro-
priate symbol for ancient Babylon. Bab-
ylonian art often combined the king of
beasts and the king of birds into a com-
posite creature, usually a lion with eagle's
wings, and sometimes an eagle's claws and
beak as well. A lion is noted for its
strength and an eagle for its powerful
wings and swift flight, a fit allusion, here,
to Nebuchadnezzar's brilliant conquests.
Various Bible writers refer to him as a
"lion."
The Splendor of Persia
3.
What part of the metallic image
stands for the Persian Empire? Dan.
2:32 (second part), 39 (first part).
NoTE.—Persia appears in four of the
five prophetic passages of Daniel (chapters
2, • 7, 8, and 11). The fifth (chapter 9)
covers the Persian era as well as the eras
of Greece and Rome, but without men-
tioning or alluding to any of them. Persia,
which eventually controlled a considerably
larger territory than Babylonia, ruled the
world from 539 to 331
B.C.
4.
What additional information
about Persia is provided by the vision
of , the four beasts? Dan. 7:5.
Nom—The second beast, the bear, stood
for Persia, which followed Babylonia. Dan-
iel saw that it "raised up itself on one
side." This unusual posture is doubtless
a reminder of the historical fact that the
Persian Empire was, in truth, a union of
Media and Persia, though by the time
Babylonia fell to Persian arms, Persian
influence had become dominant and that
of Media gradually vanished. Daniel also
saw "three ribs in its mouth between its
teeth," which spurred it on to "devour
much flesh." It has been suggested, ap-
propriately, that these three ribs represent
conquered countries such as Babylonia,
Lydia, and Egypt.
Each new victory naturally spurred the
Persians on to ever greater conquests, until
eventually their empire extended from
central Asia to Egypt and from India into
Europe-3,300 miles from east to west
and 1,500 from north to south. It is less
than 2,500 air miles from New York to
San Francisco. Persia certainly did "de-
vour much flesh," far more than any
nation that was before it.
5.
How is Persia pictured in the
vision of chapter 8? Dan. 8:3, 4, 20.
6.
What further facts concerning
Persia are given in chapter 11? Dan.
11:2-4.
1
191
NOTE.—Cambyses, the False Smerdis, and
Darius I followed Cyrus on the throne of
Persia. The fourth was Xerxes (the Bible
Ahasuerus), who led the great invasion of
Greece in 480 B.C.
The Glory of Greece
7.
What part of the metallic image
stands for Greece? Dan. 2:32 (last
part), 39 (last part).
NOTE .—Alexa nder's conquests diffused
Greek language and culture throughout the
eastern Mediterranean world and the an-
cient East, from about 331 B.c. to 168 B.C.
Greek influence constituted the unifying
force that bound the kingdoms of his
successors together in one great civilization.
"The prophecy represents the kingdom
of Greece as following Persia, because
Greece never became united into a king-
dom until the formation of the Macedo-
nian Empire, which replaced Persia as the
leading world power of that time."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Daniel 2:39.
8.
How is Greece represented in the
vision of the four great beasts? Dan.
7:6.
9.
What further information is
given about Greece in chapter 8?
Dan. 8:5-8, 21, 22.
NOTE.—The eighth chapter identifies
Greece as the successor of Persia, not
the Greece of the classical period, which was
contemporary with Persia, but the Greece
of the time of Alexander the Great and
after. The symbols of chapter 8 are al-
together different from those of chapter 7,
but the correspondence between the ram
and the he-goat of the one and the bear
and the leopard of the other is so close as
to leave no doubt that the same powers
are represented in both. Both, for insance,
present the dual aspect of the Medo-Per-
sian Empire, and the fact that one of the
two component nations eventually domin-
ated the other. Both likewise envision a
fourfold division of the power identified in
chapter 8 as Greece.
10.
What is said of Greece in chap-
ter 11? Dan. 11:2-4.
NOTE.—The eleventh chapter presents a
detailed outline of the Hellenistic era of
Greek history. Like chapter 8, it identifies
Greece by name, and mentions its first
"mighty king" and a subsequent fourfold
division. In verses 5 to 15 the number of
contestants for Alexander's dominions is
narrowed down to the "king of the north"
and the "king of the south," and in verse
16 the
,
former prevails over the latter. The
detailed preview of Greek history given
in chapter 11 need not detain us here.
The Grandeur of Rome
11.
What part of the metallic image
represents Rome? Dan. 2:33, 40.
NOTE.—Daniel identifies three of the four
great empires of antiquity by name—
Babylon, Persia, and, Greece. Rome is
not thus clearly identified; nevertheless, in
a unique way the Roman Empire fulfilled
the prophetic specifications for the fourth
power represented as following Greece, and
we assume, on the basis of history, that
it is the nation here intended.
Iron was an appropriate symbol for the
Roman Empire. Her famed legions ranged
at will over the entire Mediterranean
world and over practically all of western
Europe and much of western Asia as well.
As Daniel had predicted, Rome literally
crushed all other nations, to become by
all odds the largest and strongest empire the
world had ever known.
12.
How is Rome represented in
the vision of the four beasts? Dan.
7:7, 19, 23.
NOTE.—As in the metallic image of Dan-
iel 2 the iron followed the bronze, here in
Daniel 7 "a fourth beast, dreadful and
terrible and strong exceedingly," with
[
20]
"great iron teeth," follows the leopard.
Like iron, the fourth metal of Daniel 2,
which is said to break to pieces, shatter,
and crush all things, the fourth world
power of chapter 7 was to "break and
crush" all others.. A more fitting figurative
description of the invincible Roman legions
marching to and fro over Europe and the
Mediterranean world could hardly be
imagined.
13. Under what symbol is Rome
represented in the eighth chapter?
Dan. 8:9, 23-25.
NoTE.—There is no clear counterpart in
Daniel 8 for the fourth, fearful beast of
Daniel 7. The "little horn" of chapter 8
apparently plays the combined roles of
both the fourth beast and the little horn
of chapter 7. In chapter 8, for instance,
the little horn elicits the same concern Dan-
iel felt for the fourth beast of chapter 7.
Furthermore, the same fearful destruction
that chapter 8 attributes exclusively to the
little horn, the seventh chapter attributed to
the fourth beast instead of to its little
horn. The fourth beast of chapter 7 and
its little horn exist together to the close
of time. They are judged and destroyed
together, the fourth beast being punished
for the "great words" its little horn speaks.
In chapter 8, however, the beast represent-
ing Greece disappears before the little horn
comes upon the stage of action.
14. What is said of Rome in its
divided state? Dan. 2:33, 41-43; 7:7,
20, 24.
NorE.—The old power struggle for the
control of western Europe continues un-
abated. The fateful words of the prophet,
"they will not hold together" (R.S.V.), are
as accurate a description of the fragments
of ancient Rome today as they were fifteen
centuries ago. Modern political technology
has found no way to fuse the iron and
clay of Nebuchadnezzar's image together.
Lesson 6, for February 11, 1967
The Great Tyrant of Prophecy
MEMORY VERSE:
"He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall
wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws:
and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing
of time." Dan. 7:25.
SCRIPTURES:
Dan. 7:8, 11, 20-26; 8:9-13, 23, 24; 9:26, 27; 11:30-37, 45.
STUDY HELP:
"S.D.A. Bible Commentary."
STUDY AIM:
To form a composite picture of all that was revealed to Daniel with
respect to a great future crisis of persecution and apostasy and the great
tyrant who causes it.
Lesson Outline:
2. A confused political situation.
Dan. 7,:8, 20; 8:8, 9.
Introduction
3. His greatness, power, and methods.
Dan. 7:8, 20; 8:9, 23, 24.
II. Oppression of the Covenant People
4. An attempt to annihilate God's
[ 21 ]
I. The Tyrant's Character
1. As described in prophecy.
Dan. 7:8, 20; 8:9, 24; 9:26.
people. Dan. 7:21, 25; 8:10, 13,
24; 11:33-35.
5.
"A time, two times, and half a
time" (R.S.V.). Dan. 7:25; 12:7.
III. Defiance of God
6.
Opposition to God. Dan. 7:23-25;
11:36, 37.
7.
Opposition to the Messiah.
Dan. 8:11, 25.
8.
The tyrant desolates the sanctuary.
Dan. 8:11, 13; 9:26; 11:31.
9.
An attempt to obliterate the
Scriptures and true religion.
Dan. 7:25; 8:12; 11:30.
10.
An apostate system of religion.
Dan. 8:13; 11:31; 12:11.
IV. The Oppressor Destroyed
11.
"A time, times, and an half."
Dan. 7:25; 12:7.
12.
The oppressor annihilated.
Dan. 7:21, 22, 26; 8:25; 9:27;
11:45; 12:1.
13.
A sealed prophecy. Dan. 12:4-9.
THE LESSON
Introduction
In this lesson we are concerned exclu-
sively with the great future crisis that
was to come to God's people prior to the
establishment of His eternal, righteous
reign. When all that Gabriel revealed to
Daniel on four separate visits (chs. 7, 8,
9, and 11, 12) is brought together, a much
clearer and more complete picture is
possible than when each of the four visions
is studied separately. The word
tyrant
aptly
expresses all the various aspects of the
persecutor's character and conduct as set
forth by Daniel. In his dealings with
God's people this villain proved to be
shrewd, arrogant, treacherous, and cruel.
This lesson does not attempt to identify
this great oppressor of prophecy with his
historical counterpart, but limits consider-
ation to a survey and synthesis of the in-
formation Gabriel gave Daniel. In contrast
with his specific identification of the great
empires of antiquity, Gabriel did not di-
vulge the identity of this figure, but left it
sealed until "the time of the end." Lesson
7 discovers the master key to this sealed
prophecy, and Lesson 8 identifies the vil-
lain of Bible prophecy with its counterpart
in history.
The Tyrant's Character
1.
How, variously, does Daniel de-
scribe the rise of the great oppressor
of prophecy? Dan. 7:8, 20; 8:9, 24;
9:26.
2.
What is said of the political sit-
uation at the time of the oppressor's
rise to power? Dan. 7:8, 20; 8:8, 9.
Compare 2:41-43.
NOTE.—The great oppressor of God's peo-
ple was to appear on the stage of history
after the rise and fall of the great empires
of antiquity—Babylon, Persia, Greece, and
Rome. As a "little horn" in the symbolism
of Daniel 7, the tyrant is represented as
rising up among the ten horns on the head
of the fourth beast, which stand for the
fragments into which the Roman Empire
spilt up when it fell. Prophecy thus clearly
pinpoints the breakup of ancient Rome as
the time when, and western Europe as the
locality where, the cruel tyrant presented
to Daniel would rise to power.
3.
What is said of the tyrant's great-
ness, power, and methods? Dan. 7:8,
20; 8:9, 23, 24.
NOTE.—Comparatively "little" to begin
with, this oppressor of the saints would
eventually become "greater" and "stronger"
than his "fellows," that is, than the nations
represented by the other ten horns. In fact,
he would grow "exceeding great" and would
"prosper" in his evil plot to annihilate
God's people. All who bar his way would
be cut down without mercy. The tyrant
was thus to dominate the political scene
in western Europe following the downfall
of the Roman Empire.
[ 22 ]
Oppression of the Covenant
People
4.
How does Daniel describe the
oppressor's attempt to annihilate the
covenant people? Dan. 7:21, 25; 8:10,
13, 24; 11:33-35.
NoTE.—As Daniel watched, a great per-
secuting power made war with the saints,
prevailed over them, and wore them out.
He cast them down to the ground, and
trampled upon them in a determined at-
tempt to shatter and destroy them. The
focal point of his savage attack on the
saints was to be their loyalty to God and
to His revealed will. In that future time
of trouble, affliction, distress, and anguish
such as the world had never seen, it
appeared that they would be utterly
swept away before him and broken.
5.
For how long was this era of
persecution to continue? Dan. 7:25;
12:7.
NOTE.—As we have seen, the oppressor
was to appear on the stage of history dur-
ing the breakup of the Roman Empire.
According to the eighth and eleventh chap-
ters of Daniel, the climax of his reign of
terror would come in the latter days, at
the time of the end. In Daniel the term
latter days refers to the remote or distant
future, and the time of the end to a
relatively brief period immediately pre-
ceding the close of the present age. This
time of the end was to be marked by
climactic events destined to prepare the
world for the inauguration of God's eter-
nal reign of righteousness. Between the
fall of Rome and the time of the end, then,
the opposer or truth was to appear on the
stage of history and carry out his sinister
plot against the truth and those who re-
main loyal to it.
The length of time during which the
oppressor would torment God's people is
given cryptically as "a time, two times, and
half a time," or three and a half times. It
will be recalled that the seven times during
which Nebuchadnezzar lapsed into a state
of insanity proved to be seven years of
literal time. Practically all authorities, an-
cient and modern, thus understand the
word here translated
time.
The three and
a half times would then be three and a
half years. An equivalent expression in
Revelation 12:14, "a time, and times, and
half a time," is defined earlier in the same
chapter as one thousand two hundred and
sixty days. On the basis of thirty days to
the month and twelve months to the year,
the 1260 days prove to be exactly three
and a half years.
Bible usage points to the conclusion that,
in symbolic prophecy such as we find in
Daniel 7 and 8, a day of prophetic time
stands for a full year of actual time. This
day-for-a-year principle in predictive
prophecy first appears in Numbers 14:34
and is illustrated again in Ezekiel 4:6.
Defiance of God
6.
What is said of the oppressor's
attitude toward the true God? Dan.
7:23-25; 11:36, 37.
7.
What is said of the oppressor's
attitude toward Messiah the Prince?
Dan. 8:11, 25.
NoTE.—Satan repeatedly sought to de-
stroy Christ during His life on earth, but
Christ triumphed over him. Since our Lord's
ascension, Satan has been able to war
against Christ only by attacking His pro-
fessed people on earth. Both aspects of
Satan's opposition to Christ are clearly set
forth in Revelation 12:1-5, 12-17.
8.
What would this cruel power do
to the sanctuary and its services? Dan.
8: 11, 13; 9:26; 11:31.
NoTE.—The spotlight of prophecy in the
book of Daniel focuses on an attack by
this same oppressor on the sanctuary and
its services. See Lesson 10. The ancient
sanctuary, or temple, and its services fig-
uratively represented Christ at work for
the salvation of the world. This work of
salvation now centers in Christ's high-
[ 28 ]
priestly ministry, in the great sanctuary in
heaven. This is the subject of Lesson 9.
The sanctuary, or temple, in ancient
Jerusalem was the hub of Jewish religious
life. But that structure was completely
destroyed in A.D. 70, and its services per-
manently discontinued. They have never
been resumed. As we shall see, however,
the New Testament writers speak of a
"sanctuary" in heaven where Christ now
ministers as our great High Priest, and
specifically declare that it replaced the
earthly sanctuary when He died on the
cross and rose again. It is evidently to this
great heavenly "sanctuary" that the words
of the prophet now apply. See
S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Dan. 11:31.
9.
How does Daniel describe the
attitude and policy of the oppressor
toward the Holy Scriptures and the
worship of the true God? Dan. 7:25;
8:12; 11:30.
NoTE.—How would this diabolical power
go about defying God? The angel declared
that his heart would "be set against the
holy covenant" between God and His loyal
people, and that he would "be enraged
and take action against" it. Dan. 11:28,
30, R.S.V. In pursuit of this policy he
would "think to change the times and the
law." (Dan. 7:25, R.S.V.), that is the sacred
religious observances appointed by God and
the divine revelation that has come from
God, the Holy Scriptures. He would not
actually be able to make such changes, of
course, since no human being can alter the
divine precepts, but he would endeavor to
do so. He would enact religious precepts
and requirements of his own and attempt
to force men to comply with them instead
of with those ordained by God. He would
thus effectively "cast down . . . to the
ground" the "truth" as set forth in the
Holy Scriptures.
10.
What false religious system
would the tyrant substitute for that
of the true God? Dan. 8:13; 11:31;
12:11.
NOTE.—The great impostor would not be
content to proscribe true worship, the angel
went on to say. He would also prescribe
and enforce a false system of his own.
Daniel calls this apostate form of worship
"the transgression that makes desolate,"
or "the abomination that makes desolate"
(R.S.V.). The inauguration of this apostate
form of worship would make the sanctuary
in heaven "desolate," inasmuch as it would
deprive men of the merits of Christ's atone-
ment and compel them to accept a counter-
feit way of salvation. See Lesson 8, ques-
tion 7, note.
The Oppressor Destroyed
11.
For how long would God per-
mit this foe of His people to pros-
per? Dan. 7:25; 12:7.
12.
What promise of eventual de-
liverance from the oppressor's power
is given? Dan. 7:21, 22, 26; 8:25;
9:27; 11:45; 12:1.
NOTE.—There is a happy ending to the
long reign of terror. When it seems that
the great oppressor is on the point of
triumph, God intervenes in the course of
history to deliver His people, to destroy
their wily foe, and to inaugurate His own
righteous reign on earth. By the verdict of
the supreme court of the universe, those
who have suffered at the hands of the
great persecuting power will eventually
be awarded eternal justice.
13.
What aspects of Daniel's
prophecy were "closed up and sealed
till the time of the end"? Dan. 12:
4-9.
NorE.—Gabriel had identified three of
the great empires of prophecy by name,
and had also revealed a considerable body
of information about the then future ty-
rant and the time of tribulation and apos-
tasy. But the angel had not identified this
power, nor had he made clear the precise
time in the stream of history, nor the
[ 24 ]
particular historical circumstances, under
aspects of the prophecy were to remain
which the great tribulation and apostasy
"closed up and sealed." See Lessons 7
would come. For the time being, these and 8.
Lesson 7, for February 18, 1967
Christ Provides the Master Key
MEMORY VERSE:
"The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a
nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Matt.
21:43.
SCRIPTURES:
Matthew
21:33-45; 23:27-38; 24:1-5, 14-22,
27-31.
STUDY HELPS:
"Christ's Object Lessons," pages 294-296
;
"The Desire of Ages,"
pages 627-636; "The Great Controversy," pages 24-29; "S.D.A. Bible Com-
mentary."
STUDY AIM:
To discover how Christ interpreted and applied the prophecy of
Daniel to the new historical situation, with the Christian church as the chosen
instrument of God's purpose on earth.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Israel Repudiates the Covenant
1.
Israel's progressive departure from
God. Mal. 1:6, 7, 12, 13; 2:8, 13,
14, 17; 3:8, 9, 13, 14.
2.
Israel's spiritual condition in
Christ's day. Matt. 16:4; Mark
7:6-9.
3.
Israel's rejection of Christ as the
Messiah. John 1:10, 11; Matt.
23:37.
II. Israel Rejected as the Covenant
People
4.
The parable of the vineyard.
Matt. 21:33-39.
5.
God's rejection of Israel.
Matt. 23:36-38; 21:40-45.
III. A Nation Bringing Forth the Fruits
6.
The new chosen people. Matt.
21:43.
7.
Paul presents the new Israel.
Rom. 2:28, 29; 9:24-26; Gal.
3:28, 29.
8.
The Christian church "an holy
nation." 1 Peter 2:9, 10.
IV. When Shall These Things Be?
9.
A great future apostasy. Matt.
24:1-5, 15.
10.
A great future tribulation.
Matt. 24:14-22, 27-31.
-
11.
Signs associated with the fulfillment
of Daniel's prophecy. Matt. 24:29;
Mark 13:24, 25.
12.
The great apostasy and tribulation
pinpointed. Matt. 24:15, 21, 22,
29, 30; Mark 13:24-26.
THE LESSON
Introduction
As Daniel's last interview with Gabriel
came to a close he asked the angel
when
and
how
the great future crisis of apostasy
and persecution would meet its fulfillment
in history. Dan. 12:6-8. Gabriel had already
explained everything
except
the precise time
when, and the manner in which, the crisis
would come. Information on these matters,
he replied, was "closed up and sealed till
the time of the end." Verses 4, 9. Seventy
"weeks of years" had been alloted the
Jewish people to fulfill their role as God's
25 ]
chosen instrument for the salvation of the
world, and prior to their close and the
nation's final decision to accept or reject
the Messiah, the precise time and circum-
stances in which the climactic events of the
prophecy would work out in history could
not be made known.
Toward the close of the seventy "weeks
of years" allotted the Jews, Messiah came,
as Daniel had said. It was "last of all" that
God "sent unto them His Son," but they
"caught -Him, . . . and slew Him." Matt.
21:37, 38. In the supreme tragedy of all
time, He "came unto His own" people, but
they "received Him not." John 1:11. Dur-
ing His last debate with the Jewish leaders,
only three days before the crucifixion,
Jesus repeated Isaiah's parable about Is-
rael as the Lord's vineyard, and elaborated
upon it in such a way as to place squarely
before them the significance of their re-
jection of Him as the Messiah. He con-
cluded the parable with the solemn an-
nouncement: "The kingdom of God shall
be taken from you, and given to a nation
bringing forth the fruits thereof." Matt.
21:43. At the close of this discourse (Mat-
thew 21 and 22), and following a formal
pronouncement of woe upon the Jewish
leaders (Matthew 23) because they had
rejected Him, Jesus closed His public min-
istry with the fateful declaration, "Behold,
your house [the temple] is left unto you
desolate," and departed from the temple
forever. Matt. 23:38; 24:1.
Now that the transfer of the covenant
promises and responsibilities to the nas-
cent Christian church had been made,
further information could be given concern-
ing
when
and
how
Daniel's prophecy would
be fulfilled. It is worthy of special note
that, on the very day the Jewish leaders
officially rejected Jesus as the Messiah, He
directed His disciples' attention to the book
of Daniel and told them that now those
who read the prophecy should be able to
understand (Matt. 24:15) what had pre-
viously been "closed up and sealed." His
great discourse on the signs of His coming
(Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21), in
answer to the disciples' questions about
when and how Daniel's prophecy would
come to pass, is His interpretation and
application of that prophecy to the changed
historical situation in which the church
has become the new chosen instrument
of God's purpose on earth. Jesus here
places in our hands the master key for
unlocking the mysteries of Daniel that had
hitherto been "closed up and sealed."
In this lesson we consider Christ's inter-
pretation and application of Daniel's
prophecy. In Lessons 8 to 12 we will ex-
plore what the various New Testament
writers have to say on the matter. By thus
letting the New Testament interpret the
Old for us, we shall have an inspired,
authoritative commentary on the book of
Daniel as it applies to the Christian church,
and thus to our time.
Israel Repudiates the Covenant
1.
What does Malachi say of Israel's
spiritual state a century after the re-
turn from exile, four centuries before
the coming of Christ? Mal. 1:6, 7, 12,
13; 2:8, 13, 14, 17; 3:8, 9, 13, 14.
NOTE.—"Under the leadership of Zerub-
babel, of Ezra, and of Nehemiah they [the
returned exiles] repeatedly covenanted to
keep all the commandments and ordinances
of Jehovah. The seasons of prosperity that
followed, gave ample evidence of God's
willingness to accept and forgive; and
yet, with fatal shortsightedness, they turned
again and again from their glorious destiny,
and selfishly appropriated to themselves
that which would have brought healing
and spiritual life to countless multitudes.
"This failure to fulfill the divine purpose
was very apparent in Malachi's day."—
Prophets and Kings,
page 705.
2.
How did Christ describe Israel's
state of spiritual declension in His
day? Matt 16:4; Mark 7:6-9. See also
Matt. 23:13-15, 25, 27-35.
3.
What was Israel's attitude toward
Jesus as the Messiah? John 1:10, 11;
Matt. 23:37.
Israel Rejected as the
Covenant People
4.
By what parable did Jesus il-
lustrate God's rejection of Israel as
[26
]
the covenant people? Matt. 21:33-39.
Compare Isa. 5:1-7.
5.
In what portentous words did
Jesus announce the rejection of Israel
as the covenant people? Matt. 23:36-
38; 21:40-45. See also Matt. 24:2.
NOTE.—"The cloud that had been gath-
ering through ages of apostasy and rebel-
lion, now black with woe, was about to
burst upon a guilty people; and He who
alone could save them from their impend-
ing fate had been slighted, abused, re-
jected, and was soon to be crucified. When
Christ should hang upon the cross of
Calvary, Israel's day as a nation favored
and blessed of God would be ended. . . .
As Christ looked upon Jerusalem, the
doom of a whole city, a whole nation, was
before Him—that city, that nation, which
had once been the chosen of God, His pe-
culiar treasure."—The
Great Controversy,
pages 20, 21.
A Nation Bringing Forth the Fruits
6.
Who were to be God's new
chosen people? Matt. 21:43.
NOTE.—"Not by any temporary failure
of Israel, however, was the plan of the
ages for the redemption of mankind to be
frustrated. Those to whom the prophet
was speaking might not heed the message
given, but the purposes of Jehovah were
nevertheless to move steadily forward to
their complete fulfillment."—Prophets
and
Kings,
pages 705, 706.
God's ultimate purpose never changes;
but when those who have been called refuse
persistently to cooperate, He changes the
manner in which He will eventually carry
His purpose forward to success, the precise
time of its culmination, and the human
instruments He will use. The Bible record
is replete with instances of the reversal of
promised blessings and threatened judg-
ments, involving both nations and in-
dividuals.
7.
How does Paul describe the new
Israel? Rom. 2:28, 29; 9:24-26; Gal.
3:28, 29.
NOTE.—The Christian church became
God's chosen instrument for the salvation
of the human race. Though the basic
features of God's plan for the world re-
mained unchanged, this transition from
literal Israel to spiritual Israel involved
also a profound change in the manner in
which some aspects of the plan would
now have to be worked out in history.
See Introduction to Lesson 9.
8.
In what words does Peter set
forth the role of the church as God's
chosen people? 1 Peter 2:9, 10.
NOTE.—"That which God purposed to
do for the world through Israel, the chosen
nation, He will finally accomplish through
His church on earth
today."—Prophets and
Kings,
page 713.
When Shall These Things Be?
9.
How did Christ apply Daniel's
prophecy concerning the desolation
of the temple and a great future
apostasy? Matt. 24:1-5, 15. Compare
Dan. 8:11, 13; 9:26; 12:11.
NOTE.—"Jesus did not answer His dis-
ciples by taking up separately the de-
struction of Jerusalem and the great day
of His coming. He mingled the description
of these two events. Had He opened to
His disciples future events as He beheld
them, they would have been unable to en-
dure the sight. In mercy to them He
blended the description of the two great
crises, leaving the disciples to study out
the meaning for themselves. When He re-
ferred to the destruction of Jerusalem,
His prophetic words reached beyond that
event to the final conflagration in that
day when the Lord shall rise out of His
place to punish the world for their iniquity,
when the earth shall disclose her blood, and
27
shall no more cover her slain. This entire
discourse was given, not for the disciples
only, but for those who should live in the
last scenes of this earth's history."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 628.
In His discourse on the Mount of Olives,
Christ thus applies Daniel's prophecy both
to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70
and
to the end of the world; to literal
Israel
and
to the church. Evidently this
dual application was also latent in Daniel's
prophecy to begin with, and all that Daniel
foretold, which might have been fulfilled to
literal Israel in the long ago had they
accepted Jesus as the Messiah, is now to
be fulfilled to the church.
10.
How did Christ apply Daniel's
prophecy with respect to the tyrant
and his oppression of God's people?
Matt. 24:14-22, 27-31. Compare Dan.
7:21, 25; 8:10, 14; 9:26; 10:14; 11:
33-35.
NOTE.—"Jesus declared to the listening
disciples the judgments that were to fall
upon apostate Israel, and especially the
retributive vengeance that would come
upon them for their rejection and cruci-
fixion of the Messiah. . . . When the
idolatrous standards of the Romans should
be set up in the holy ground, which ex-
tended some furlongs outside the city
walls, then the followers of Christ were to
find safety in flight."—The
Great Contro-
versy,
pages 25, 26.
"From the destruction of Jerusalem,
Christ passed on rapidly to the greater
event— . . . the coming of the Son of
God in majesty and glory. Between these
two events, there lay open to Christ's view
long centuries of darkness. . . . For more
than a thousand years such persecution as
the world had never before known was to
come upon Christ's followers."—The
Desire
of Ages,
pages 630, 631.
11.
What special signs did Jesus
give by which to locate the fulfill-
ment of Daniel's prophecy? Matt.
24:29; Mark 13:24, 25.
NoTE.—"The Saviour gives signs of His
coming, and more than this, He fixes the
time when the first of these signs shall
appear: 'Immediately after the tribulation
of those days shall the sun be darkened,
and the moon shall not give her light, and
the stars shall fall from heaven.'
"—The
Desire of Ages,
pages 631, 632.
12.
What indication did Christ give
of the time when Daniel's prediction
of a great future apostasy and perse-
cution would take place? Matt. 24:15,
21, 22, 29, 30; Mark 13:24-26.
NoTE.—After the destruction of Jeru-
salem, after the great apostasy, after the
great persecution—then what? Christ now
introduces an important fact that Daniel
did not mention, and presents it as
the
major sign of His coming and of the close
of the age. This sign is to be given
after
the great apostasy and the great tribulation,
but
before
His coming and the end of
the world. Then—after this sign—said
Jesus, "all the tribes of the earth . . .
shall see the Son of man coming in the
clouds of heaven with power and great
glory." And what is the sign? "Immediately
after the tribulation of those days the sun
will be darkened, and the moon will not
give its light, and the stars will fall from
heaven." Matt. 24:29, R.S.V.
This prediction, confirmed by its ful-
fillment in history, stands as Christ's own
clue to the answer to Daniel's unresolved
question about how long it would be till
the end of these wonders. The fact that
these astronomical phenomena were to
come immediately after the tribulation of
those days—or even more exactly, "in
those days, after that tribulation," as Mark
has it—thus provides the approximate
terminal point for the time of trouble
here envisioned.
The time periods of Daniel are the sub-
ject of Lesson 10.
"As you repeat the confi-
dence you have in Jesus,
Satan will flee; for he cannot
bear the name of Jesus."—
Historical Sketches,
page 141.
[ 28 ]
Lesson 8, for February 25, 1967
Unlocking the Mysteries of Daniel's Prophecies
MEMORY VERSE:
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed,
the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is
called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of
God, showing himself that he is God." 2 Thess. 2:3,
4.
SCRIPTURES:
2 Thess. 2:3-12; Rev. 13; 16:12-19;
17:1-6, 11-17; 19:11-21.
STUDY HELP:
"The Great Controversy," pages 49-60, 563-581.
STUDY AIM:
To discover how New Testament writers interpret and apply the
prophecies of Daniel.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Warnings of Apostasy and
Persecution
1.
False christs and false prophets.
Matt. 24:4, 5, 11, 23-26.
2.
The man of sin to be revealed.
2 Thess. 2:3-12.
II. The Revelation Unseals the
Mystery of Daniel
3.
The leopard-like beast. Rev. 13:1,
2, 5-7.
4.
The great harlot, Babylon. Rev.
17:1-6, 18.
III. The Tyrant Identified
5.
His historical counterpart.
6.
A time of great tribulation.
7.
A time of great apostasy.
IV. The Last Great Conflict
8.
War with the remnant. Rev. 12:17;
13:3, 4, 7, 13-17.
9.
Issues in the conflict. Rev. 12:17.
10.
The supreme test. Rev. 13:15-17.
11.
Deliverance. Rev. 18:20; 19:2.
12.
The fate of mystical Babylon.
Rev. 16:19; 17:16; 18:8, 21.
13.
The forces of evil annihilated.
Rev. 19:19-21; 20:7-10.
THE LESSON
Introduction
How the sealed portion of the prophecy
of Daniel might have been fulfilled in his-
tory, had the Jews remained loyal to their
covenant privileges and responsibilities, is
beyond our ken. Nor is it important for
us to know. With the transition from lit-
eral Israel to the Christian church, however,
the latter fell heir to the covenant prom-
ises, privileges, and responsibilities that
formerly belonged to the literal descend-
ants of Abraham.
The prophecies of Daniel envisioned the
coming of a great tyrant who would op-
press God's people, enforce error and
apostasy as his official policy, and ruthlessly
persecute those who refused to comply. In
A.D.
70 Roman legions destroyed Jerusalem
and the temple, and slew countless thou-
sands of Jews. Literal Israel was then the
victim of Satan's wrath, but henceforth
spiritual Israel was to be the target of his
attacks. The prophecies of Daniel 7 and
8 envision his oppression of both. Satanic
opposition to truth has always taken two
forms—the dissemination of error, and the
persecution of those who reject it.
Christ and the New Testament writers
present a preview of how these aspects of
Daniel's prophecy were yet to work out in
history, between the first and second ad-
vents of Christ, as Satan went forth in
anger to make war on those who should
29
choose to remain loyal to God. Christ and
the apostles often use the very words, ex-
pressions, or ideas of Daniel as they draw
this picture of coming events. Christ specifi-
cally declared His delineation of the future
to be an outline of how Daniel's prophecy
is to be fulfilled, with His followers as
heirs to the covenant promises, privileges,
and responsibilities.
Warnings of Apostasy and
Persecution
1.
What warning against future
apostasy and persecution did Christ
give His ,disciples? Matt. 24:4, 5, 11,
23-26. Compare Dan. 11:31-35.
NOTE.—"Many false messiahs will ap-
pear, claiming to work miracles, and de-
claring that the time of the deliverance of
the Jewish nation has come. These will
mislead many. Christ's words were ful-
filled. Between His death and• the siege of
Jerusalem many false messiahs appeared.
But this warning was given also to those
who live in this age of the world. The
same deceptions practiced prior to the de-
struction of Jerusalem have been practiced
through the ages, and will be practiced
again."—The
Desire of Ages,
page 628.
2.
How did Paul speak of the com-
ing apostasy? 2 Thess. 2:3-12. See
also Acts 20:29, 30; 1 Tim. 4: 1.
Compare Dan. 11:31, 36, 37.
NoTE.—"Little by little, at first in
stealth and silence, and then more openly
as it increased in strength and gained
control of the minds of men, 'the mystery
of iniquity' carried forward its deceptive
and blasphemous work. Almost impercep-
tibly the customs of heathenism found their
way into the Christian church. . . .
"This compromise between paganism and
Christianity resulted in the development
of the 'man of sin' foretold in prophecy as
opposing and exalting himself above God.
That gigantic system of false religion is a
masterpiece of Satan's power—a monument
of his efforts to seat himself upon the
throne to rule the earth according to his
will."—The Great Controversy,
pages 49,
50.
The Revelation Unseals the
Mystery of Daniel
3.
What points identify the power
represented by the leopard-like beast
of Revelation 13, with the tyrant of
Daniel? Rev. 13:1, 2, 5-7. Compare
Dan. 7:4-8, 11, 20, 25.
NoTE.—Like its counterpart in the book
of Daniel, the leopard-like beast of Reve-
lation 13 defies God, demands recognition
of its own religious authority, and perse-
cutes all who refuse to comply with its
will. Also like its counterpart in Daniel, it
is eminently successful. Except for those
who choose to be loyal to God, it eventually
wins at least the nominal allegiance of the
whole world.
4.
Under what other symbol does
John refer to the tyrant of the book
of Daniel? What additional informa-
tion is thereby given? Rev. 17:1-6, 18.
See also 1 John 2:18-22. Compare
Dan. 7:25; 8:24.
Nora.—John also presents the villain
of the prophecies of Daniel under the
symbol of mystical Babylon, the great
harlot of prophecy. Like her counterpart in
the book of Daniel, mystical Babylon rep-
resents consummate apostasy, of which
harlotry is the usual Biblical symbol. For
examples, see Ezekiel 16 and 23. Babylon
the Great attempts to coerce the people of
earth into drinking the wine of her apos-
tasy, and sets out to slay all who refuse to
do so. The role assigned to mystical Bab-
ylon in the Revelation is identical with
that attributed to the great tyrant in
Daniel's prophecy.
The Tyrant Identified
5.
To what power in history does
the Bible point as the historical coun-
terpart of the great antichrist?
[30]
ANS
WER.-A summary of the information
given by Daniel, Christ, Paul, and John
(Lessons 6 to 8) provides the following
composite picture by which to identify the
antichrist of Bible prophecy:
A.
It would rise to power during the
decline and fall of the ancient Roman
Empire, eliminating three troublesome com-
petitors in the process, and dominate the
political and religious scene in western
Europe for approximately 1260 years. Su-
pernatural signs in the heavens would her-
ald the close of its long period of suprem-
acy. It would then suffer what appeared to
be a mortal wound, but would recover,
regain its formei power, and flourish briefly
prior to the second advent of Christ. See
also question 8.
B.
This religiopolitical organization would
come into being as the result of a great
apostasy within the Christian church, and
would usurp the prerogatives and authority
of Christ over the church. It would defy
God, and for practical purposes, deify it-
self. Its policy and course of action would
constitute rebellion against the Most High.
It would arrogate to itself the right to
alter, and even abolish, the divine precepts
and sacred observances, and would sub-
stitute its own authority for that of the
Holy Scriptures. It would suppress the
knowledge and practice of the way of
salvation in Christ as set forth in the Bible,
and demand compliance with its own
counterfeit teachings and system of sal-
vation.
C.
This sinister power would impose its
authority over the peoples and nations of
the civilized world, and wage a determined
and ruthless war of extermination against
all who chose to remain loyal to God. The
result would be 'a long era of unprecedented
suffering and hardship for God's people.
The precise fulfillment by the papacy of
every specification marked out by the
inspired writers of the Bible conclusively
identifies it as the power foretold. As
successor to the Roman Empire, the Roman
Church took over its name, its language,
its territory, its capital, its pattern of ad-
ministrative organization, its authority, and
its legal status. Like the fabled phoenix, the
Roman Church rose from the ashes of the
Roman Empire, and the empire lived on,
reincarnate, in the church. It would be
difficult to imagine a more exact correspon-
dence between the specifications of Bible
prophecy and their fulfillment in history.
It should be noted that when Roman
Catholics speak of "the Church," they
refer to the hierarchial organization, and
not to those who profess the Catholic
faith. We here use the term "Church" in the
Roman Catholic sense, of the organization
as an organization, and not of the millions
of Catholics who are entirely sincere in
their beliefs and devoted in their practice
of religion, either collectively or as indi-
viduals. The Spirit of Christ leaves no
room whatever for prejudice or bigotry
of any kind, or in any degree. We come to
a study of this aspect of Bible prophecy
with charity for all and malice toward
none.
6.
How has papal policy toward
God's people down through the cen-
turies fulfilled the predictions of Dan-
iel and John?
ANSWER.—Throughout the history of
Western civilization, the Church of Rome
has distinguished herself by a spirit of
intolerance toward all who dissent from
her authority. It is a simple fact of history
that she has been responsible for the tor-
ture and death of more Christians than
all the pagan powers of earth—not as an
occasional, temperamental outburst, but as
the result of a fixed policy to eradicate
dissent whenever and wherever possible,
by whatever means promised to be most
effective.
7.
To what unscriptural papal dog-
mas did Daniel and John allude?
ANSWER.—The difference between the
teachings of the inspired Bible writers and
those of the Roman Church with respect
to Christ's infinite sacrifice on Calvary, His
continuing priestly ministry in heaven, and
the means by which we become recipients
of divine grace is so profound and far-
reaching as to render the two systems
mutually exclusive.
For example, the Bible teaches that
Christ's sacrifice on Calvary was all-suffi-
cient to atone for sins; according to Cath-
olic theology, that sacrifice must be
repeated thousands of times every day
around the world, in what Catholic theo-
logians call the sacrifice of the mass. The
[
311
Bible teaches that, since His ascension,
Christ has been ministering in the heavenly
sanctuary as our High Priest, and that we
are to come directly to Him (see Lesson
9) ; the Roman Church has interposed a
human priesthood that bars men from
direct access to Christ. The Bible presents
Christ as our only mediator before God,
and directs us to confess our sins directly
to Him ; the Roman Church denies men
the privilege of confessing their sins directly
to Christ, and requires instead that sins
be confessed to human priests. In place
of our
one
Intercessor and Mediator before
God, the Roman Church has substituted
the Virgin Mary and attributed to her
honor hardly distinguishable from that
which the Bible reserves to Christ alone,
and, with her, a host of patron saints.
Many unscriptural teachings and prac-
tices might be mentioned: such as the
doctrine of purgatory, prayers for those
supposed to be suffering torment there,
the canonization and veneration of saints,
the rosary, penance, indulgences, and the
seven so-called sacraments. Sufficient evi-
dence has been cited to demonstrate that
the Church of Rome has wandered far
indeed from the pure gospel originally
proclaimed by Christ and the apostles.
This wholesale departure from their teach-
ings has properly been called "the great
apostasy."
By depreciating Christ's sacrifice and
priestly ministry, and then substituting
another system of its own devising, the
Church of Rome has, in effect, profaned the
heavenly sanctuary of which the inspired
writer of the book of Hebrews speaks, and
blasphemed God's dwelling as John fore-
told. She has so effectively deprived millions
of people of a knowledge of these funda-
mental Bible truths and of the benefit of
their saving power, that for them the plan
devised in heaven has, for practical pur-
poses, ceased to exist.
The Last Great Conflict
8.
How does John describe the last
great struggle between good and evil?
Rev. 12:17; 13:3, 4, 7, 13-17. See also
Rev. 16:13-16; 17:11-17; 19:11-21.
9.
What issues are at stake in this
conflict? Rev. 12:17. See also Rev.
14:6-12; 18:4.
NOTE.—"The last great conflict between
truth and error is but the final struggle
of the long-standing controversy concern-
ing the law of God. Upon this battle we
are now entering—a battle between the
laws of men and the precepts of Jehovah,
between the religion of the Bible and
the religion of fable and tradition."—The
Great Controversy,
page 582.
"When the standard of righteousness is
set aside, the way is open for the prince
of evil to establish his power in the earth."
—Ibid.,
p. 584.
10.
Through what supreme test
will God's people finally pass? Rev.
13:15-17. See also Rev. 12:17; 17:6;
18:24.
Nora.—"Fearful is the issue to which
the world is to be brought. The powers of
earth, uniting to war against the com-
mandments of God, will decree that 'all,
both small and great, rich and poor, free
and bond' (Revelation 13:16), shall con-
form to the customs of the church by the
observance of the false sabbath. All who
refuse compliance will be visited with civil
penalties, and it will finally be declared
that they are deserving of death."—The
Great Controversy,
page 604.
11.
What is said of the saints' de-
liverance from their foes? Rev. 18:20;
19:2. See also Rev. 15:2, 3.
12.
Describe the fate of mystical
Babylon. Rev. 16:19; 17:16; 18:8, 21.
13.
What assurance is given of the
ultimate annihilation of the forces of
evil? Rev. 19:19-21; 20:7-10. See also
Rev. 13:10.
[
32]
Lesson 9, for March 4, 1967
Christ Our Great High Priest
MEMORY VERSE:
"We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of
the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of
the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Heb. 8:1, 2.
SCRIPTURES:
Heb.
7:11, 12, 23, 24; 8:1-10; 9:11, 12, 23, 24; 10:9-14, 19-22.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Great Controversy," pages 409-432; "S.D.A. Bible Commen-
tary.
STUDY AIM:
An understanding and appreciation of Christ's ministry as our great
High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, especially as a basis for Lessons 10
and 11, "The Reign of Antichrist" and "Christ Our Righteous Judge."
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. From Judaism to Christianity
1.
A new chosen people. Matt. 21:
43 ; 1 Peter 2:9, 10.
2.
A new "promised land." Acts
1:8; Rev. 21:1, 2.
3.
A new covenant. Heb. 8:6-10.
4.
A new revelation of God's purpose.
Hcb. 1:1, 2.
II. The Sanctuary in Heaven
5.
A new sanctuary. John 4:21;
Heb. 8:1, 2; 10:9 (last part).
6.
The new in relation to the old.
Heb. 8:5; 9:23.
III. Our Great High Priest
7.
A new priesthood. Heb. 7:11, 12,
23, 24; 8:4.
8.
A new priestly ministry. Heb. 7:
25;9:24; 10:12.
9.
Christ's priestly qualifications.
Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:15; S:3.
10.
Christ ministers His own sacrifice.
Heb. 9:11, 12; 10:12, 14.
11.
A gracious invitation. Heb. 4:16;
7:25; 10:19-22.
IV. Christ and Antichrist
12.
Antichrist defies Christ. Dan. 8:1.1,
25; 11:22.
13.
Antichrist usurps Christ's priestly
ministry. Dan. 8:11, 13.
THE LESSON
Introduction
The transition from ancient literal Is-
rael to the new spiritual Israel had pro-
found and far-reaching effects. To be
sure, God's basic plan did not change;
eventually His purpose to banish evil from
the universe and to establish His own
eternal, righteous reign in the hearts and
lives of all created beings will prevail. But
when those who have been called refuse
persistently to cooperate, God changes the
manner in which He will eventually carry
His plan forward to success, the precise
time of its culmination, and the human
instruments He will use. Furthermore,
Satan's strategic defeat at the cross es-
calated the great struggle between the
forces of good and evil to a new pitch of
intensity (see Rev. 12:13-17) ; and the
conflict, which hitherto had been limited
largely to Palestine, spread to all nations,
and people everywhere became involved in
the struggle. Bible prophecy is a declara-
tion of God's purpose, and its fulfillment
in any particular historical context is con-
tingent upon the cooperation of His church
on earth.
Now, instead of a literal nation com-
posed of the literal descendants of Abra-
L 33
ham, the chosen people would henceforth
be an international body, the church uni-
versal, a spiritual "nation" called out of
all nations. The world replaced the land
of Palestine as the stage for God's efforts
in behalf of the human race, and the New
Jerusalem in heaven replaced literal Jeru-
salem as the focal center of the believer's
hope. A new covenant replaced the old, and
a new revelation of the divine purpose
was given, adapting the former revelation
to the new historical situation.
The heavenly sanctuary on Mount Zion
replaced the literal sanctuary on Mount
Moriah as the place to which all who
choose the worship and service of the true
God were to come to find mercy and grace
to help in time of need. The infinite priest-
hood of Jesus Christ replaced a human
priesthood, to mediate betWeen repentant
sinners and God, and now all men might
come directly to Him, by faith. The in-
finite sacrifice on Calvary superseded the
animal sacrifices which pointed forward to
it, and the worship of God in spirit and
in truth replaced the formalism that often
characterized worship through types and
ceremonies.
In this lesson we focus attention on
Christ's ministry as our great High Priest
in the heavenly sanctuary, as a basis for
understanding its role in the fulfillment
of Daniel's prophecy.
From Judaism to Christianity
1.
What did the transition from
Judaism to Christianity involve with
respect to the chosen people? Matt.
21:43; 1 Peter 2:9, 10. See also Rom.
2:28, 29; 10:12, 13.
2.
What did this transition involve
with respect to Jerusalem and the
land of Palestine? Acts 1:8; Rev. 21:
1, 2. See also Acts 10:34, 35; Gal. 4:
25, 26.
NoTE.—Whereas God sent literal Israel
into the land of Palestine and established
them there, Christ sent His followers forth
to all the world, which in the age to come
would be their permanent home.
3.
What did this transition involve
with respect to the covenant? Heb.
8:6-10.
4.
What did this transition involve
with respect to the Old Testament as
a revelation of God's purpose? How
is the New Testament related to the
Old? Heb. 1:1, 2. See also 2 Tim.
3:15-17; 2 Cor. 3:14; Luke 24:27, 32;
John 16:13.
NoTE.—In pre-Christian times the Old
Testament was able to make men wise
unto salvation, and it is still essential for
instruction in righteousness. But after
Christ came in fulfillment of the Old
Testament, it was no longer sufficient,
alone and of itself, to acquaint the reader
with a full knowledge of the way of sal-
vation. For this reason God provided a
new revelation, in and through Jesus
Christ, and the New Testament is a record
of that revelation. He has spoken unto
us by His Son, even as in times past He
spoke unto the fathers by the prophets.
As the Old Testament is interpreted to us
by the New, we can understand and ap-
preciate the fullness of God's revealed will
and His purpose for us today.
The Old Testament prophecies are still
to be fulfilled in principle, though not
necessarily in every detail, owing to the fact
that many details were dependent on Is-
rael as a literal nation situated in the land
of Palestine. Obviously such details could
not in any literal sense apply to a spiritual
"nation" scattered all over the world. Thus,
only when the New Testament makes a
clear application, or reinterpretation, of
such an Old Testament passage, to the new
situation with the church as God's chosen
instrument, do we have infallible guidance
as to its import for us.
Consequently, we should first examine
such an Old Testament prophecy in terms
of its original, historical application to
literal Israel before going to the New
Testament to discover its application to
spiritual Israel. Where the New Testament
[ 34 ]
has not thus clearly spoken, it is our
privilege to compare scripture with scrip-
ture in an endeavor to understand more
perfectly the mind of the Spirit. But to go
beyond that which Inspiration has clearly
set forth—in the immediate context of
the passage concerned, in the New Testa-
ment, or in the spirit of prophecy—is to
substitute personal opinion for a plain
"thus saith the Lord." For centuries God
has guided His people in the study of
His Holy Word, and He is still able to
do so.
The Epistle to the Hebrews provides us
with just such an inspired guide to the
deeper lessons implicit in the ancient sanc-
tuary and its services. To these lessons we
now turn.
The Sanctuary in Heaven
5.
What did the transition from
Judaism to Christianity involve with
respect to the sanctuary and its ser-
vices? John 4:21; Heb. 8:1, 2; 10:9
(last part).
NOTE.—The earthly sanctuary and its
services were designed to represent, on a
finite scale and by finite means, the infinite
realities of the plan of salvation. Its ser-
vices all pointed forward to Christ, first
as the sacrificial victim on Calvary, and
then as the priestly minister of that sacri-
fice in heaven above. At best this earthly
representation was imperfect, for nothing
finite can possibly equal its infinite coun-
terpart. Nevertheless, God ordained the
ancient sanctuary and its services, and
through them we are able to understand
better Christ's infinite ministry on our
behalf.
6.
What relationship does the sanc-
tuary in heaven sustain to its ancient
counterpart on earth? Heb. 8:5; 9:23.
NOTE.—"The sanctuary in heaven, in
which Jesus ministers in our behalf, is the
great original, of which the sanctuary
built by Moses was a copy. God placed His
Spirit upon the builders of the earthly
sanctuary....
"The matchless splendor of the earthly
tabernacle reflected to human vision the
glories of that heavenly temple where Christ
our forerunner ministers for us before the
throne of God. . . .. [The earthly copy
was] but a faint reflection of its vastness
and glory. Yet important truths concern-
ing the heavenly sanctuary and the great
work there carried forward for man's
redemption were taught by the earthly
sanctuary and its services."—The
Great
Controversy,
page 414.
Our Great High Priest
7.
What did the transition from
Judaism to Christianity mean with
respect to the priesthood and the
priestly ministry? Heb. 7:11, 12, 23,
24; 8:4.
8.
Ascending to heaven forty days
after the resurrection, upon what
phase of His ministry did Christ
enter? Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 10:12.
NOTE.—On Calvary Christ fulfilled the
role of the sacrificial victim in the ancient
sanctuary service, providing the vicarious
atonement necessary to reconcile all sinners
to God. In heaven above He fulfills the
role prefigured by the ministration of the
priests in the earthly sanctuary, minister-
ing to us individually the infinite benefits
of that one vicarious sacrifice. According
to the Epistle to the Hebrews, both aspects
of His ministry are essential to our salva-
tion.
9.
How did Christ qualify to serve
as our great High Priest? Heb. 2:17,
18; 4:15; 8:3. Compare Heb. 7:27.
NOTE.—A priest is man's representative
before God. As man's intermediary, he
must have a sympathetic understanding of
those whom he represents, in order to be
merciful as well as just. To qualify as
our High Priest, Christ became one of us,
lived with us, and fought the battle
[35]
against sin and temptation as we must
fight it. He was tempted in all points as
we are tempted, yet without sin.
10.
How is Christ's priestly minis-
try in heaven related to His sacrificial
ministry on Calvary? Heb. 9:11, 12;
10:12, 14.
NOTE.—A priest must have an offering
to present to God on the sinner's behalf.
The Saviour provided that sacrifice by His
own death on Calvary.
11.
As our great High Priest, what
does Christ do for us? What gracious
invitation does He extend to us? Heb.
4:16; 7:25; 10:19-22. See also 1 John
2:1.
Christ and Antichrist
12.
What policy did Daniel say the
tyrant, antichrist, would pursue with
respect to our great High Priest?
Dan. 8:11, 25; 11:22. Compare Matt.
2:13, 16; Luke 23:44-46; Rev. 12:4,
7-9.
Nom..—Throughout His life on earth
Satan sought to destroy Jesus—in His in-
fancy, continuously through temptation,
and by the hands-of those who hated Him.
But Christ was "caught up unto God, and
to His throne" (Rev. 12:5), and since that
time Satan has been unable to touch Him
directly. By attacking His faithful repre-
sentatives on earth, however, Satan is,
indirectly, accomplishing the same objec-
tive. See Zech. 2:8; Matt. 25:35-45.
13.
What would antichrist's policy
be with respect to the heavenly sanc-
tuary and its ministration? Dan. 8:11,
13. Compare 1 Tim. 2:5; Eph. 2:8, 9.
NoTE.—Satan cannot interfere directly
with Christ's ministry in the heavenly
sanctuary, but he has been eminently suc-
cessful in keeping from men a knowledge of
that saving ministry, and thereby has pre-
vented them from benefiting by it. See
Lesson 8, note to question 7. For practical
purposes, the effect is the same. Such was
the result of the great apostasy that began
in the early Christian centuries. The Dark
Ages were dark because the light of heaven
had been effectively shut out from the
minds and hearts of men. By depreciating
Christ's sacrifice and priestly ministry and
substituting a counterfeit system of its
own devising, the Church of Rome has,
in effect, profaned the sanctuary in heaven
above. She has so effectively deprived
millions of people of a knowledge of these
fundamental Bible truths, and thus of the
benefit of their saving power, that for
them the plan devised in heaven has, for
practical purposes, ceased to exist.
Lesson 10, for March 11, 1967
The Reign of Antichrist
MEMORY VERSE:
"He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall
wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws:
and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing
of time." Dan. 7:25.
SCRIPTURES:
Dan. 7:25; 8:13, 14; Matt. 24:15-30; Rev. 10:1 to 11: 1; 14:6-12.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Great Controversy," pages 317-342; "S.D.A. Bible
Commen-
tary."
STUDY AIM:
To obtain a clearer understanding
of the great
prophetic time
periods
of Daniel.
[36
1
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. A Time, Two Times, and Half a Time
1.
Length of the career of antichrist.
Dan. 7:25; 12:7.
2.
Christ locates the reign of anti-
christ. Matt. 24:15, 21, 22, 29, 30.
3.
Warnings of apostasy. Acts 20:29,
30; 2 Thess. 2:3-12.
4.
Revelation clarifies the time, times,
and half a time. Rev. 11:2, 3;
12:6, 14; 13:5.
II. The 2300 "Evenings and Mornings"
5. The 2300 "evenings and mornings"
(R.S.V.). Dan. 8:13, 14.
6.
A day for a year. Num. 14:34;
Ezek. 4:6.
7.
Ninth chapter explains the eighth.
Dan. 8:27; 9:21-23.
8.
The starting point. Dan. 9:25.
III. The Judgment-Hour Message
9.
Expiration of the 2300 days.
10.
Cleansing of the sanctuary.
Dan. 8:14.
11.
The time periods sealed. Dan.
12:4, 7.
12.
The time periods unsealed.
Rev. 10:1 to 11:1.
13.
The three angels' messages.
Rev. 14:6-12.
THE LESSON
2.
Where in the stream of history
did our Lord locate the reign of anti-
christ? Matt. 24:15, 21, 22, 29, 30.
Introduction
Three basic prophetic time periods are
brought to view in the prophetic portion
of the book of Daniel—"a time and times
and the dividing of time" (ch. 7:25; 12:7),
"two thousand and three hundred days"
(ch. 8:14), and "seventy weeks" (ch. 9:
24). The first marks the tyrant's defiance of
God, his persecution of the saints, and his
attempt to obliterate a knowledge of God's
revealed will and the worship of God. The
second is the period of time during which
the little horn of Daniel 8 would desolate
the sanctuary, interrupt its services, and
substitute in their place his own apostate
form of worship. The third is the period
of time allotted the Jews as a nation in
which to fulfill their covenant obligations.
Each of these three time periods is clari-
fied by comparison with the others, and
by Christ and the New Testament writers.
A correct understanding of them is basic
to a valid interpretation of Daniel.
A Time, Two Times, and
Half a Time
1. For how long was the tyrant—
antichrist—to defy God, persecute the
saints, and think to change God's
law? Dan. 7:25; 12:7.
NOTE.—Our Lord locates the "great trib-
ulation," or "time of trouble" caused by
the tyrant, between the destruction of
Jerusalem and certain celestial signs which
would herald His return in power and
glory. These signs in the heavens would
come "immediately after the tribulation of
those days," and be followed in close
sequence by the coming of the Son of man.
(Note the word "then" in v. 30.) Mark
13:24, 25 locates the first of the celestial
signs "in these days, after that tribulation."
The Dark Day of May 19, 1780, was a
telling fulfillment of our Lord's prediction.
See "Dark Day" in
S.D.A. Bible Students'
Source Book.
Our Lord thus foretold the
coming of antichrist after the fall of Jeru-
salem in
A.D.
70, and prior to the appear-
ance of the signs in the heavens.
3.
What warnings against future
apostasy were given by New Testa-
ment writers? Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Thess.
2:3-12.
87 ]
4.
How does the book of Revelation
apply and clarify the period of time
Daniel assigned to antichrist? Rev.
11:2, 3; 12:6, 14; 13:5. Compare Dan.
7:25.
NOTE.—The Revelation explains the three
and a half "times," or years, of Daniel as
being equivalent to 1260 prophetic "days,"
which would be as many literal years. See
Lesson 6, note to question 5. The 1260
years of papal supremacy may be reckoned
from
A.D.
538 to 1798.
The 2300 "Evenings and Mornings"
5.
For how long was the sanctuary
to suffer under the tyrant's heel?
Dan. 8:13, 14.
NOTE.—At the end of 1260 "days" God's
people were to be delivered from the ty-
rant's hand; but at the end of 2300 "days"
the sanctuary was to be "cleansed." Lesson
11 considers what was to take place at
the close of the 2300 "days"; here we are
concerned only with the period of time
itself, and its correlation with the events
of history.
6.
What precedent is there for con-
sidering these "days" to represent as
many literal years? Num. 14:34; Ezek.
4:6.
NOTE.—Bible usage points to the con-
clusion that, in symbolic prophecy, a "day"
of prophetic time stands for a full year of
actual time. This day-for-a-year principle
in predictive prophecy first appears in
Numbers 14:34 and is illustrated again in
Ezekiel 4:6.
7.
Why do we look to Daniel 9 for
a clue to the beginning of the 2300
days, or years? Dan. 8:27; 9:21-23.
NOTE.—In his interpretation (8:16-27) of
the vision (8:2-14) the angel Gabriel gives
no explanation of the 2300 "days" of
verse 14. As verse 27 implies, however, this
was not because he had nothing further to
say on the subject, but because Daniel
"fainted, and was sick certain days" as a
result of being "astonished at the vision."
That Gabriel had not been able to complete
his explanation seems evident from Dan-
iel's specific notation that there were still
some things about the vision that he did
not understand. But inasmuch as Gabriel
had been commissioned to "make this man
[Daniel] to understand the vision" (8:16),
we would expect him, at some time or
other, to complete his assignment. That he
did so becomes evident from a careful com-
parison of the ninth chapter with the,
eighth. Note the following points of re-
lationship between the two:
A.
It was Gabriel who came to Daniel
with both messages (8:16; 9:21). In his
introduction (9:20-23) to Gabriel's mes-
sage of chapter 9:24-27, Daniel indenti-
fies Gabriel as "the man . . whom I had
seen in the vision at the beginning." The
only preceding occasion on which Daniel
mentions having seen Gabriel is in con-
nection with the vision of chapter 8 (8:
16-19).
B.
Gabriel's message in chapter 9:24-27
is accompanied by no vision of its own,
as are the messages of chapters 2, 7, and 8.
Yet chapter 9 repeatedly refers to "the
vision." See verses 21, 23, and 24. This
vision, of which verses 24-27 are speci-
fically declared to be an explanation (9:23),
can be no other than that of chapter 8.
C.
Daniel explicitly states (ch. 8:27) that
he did not understand the vision of chap-
ter 8, even after Gabriel's explanation
recorded in verses 20-26. A comparison of
the vision of verses 3-14 with the explana-
tion in verses 20-26 reveals that everything
was explained in chapter 8
except
the ty-
rant's attack on the sanctuary and its
services, and the period of time after which
it was to "be cleansed." But these points
are
clarified in chapter 9:24-27, where it is
specifically stated that the sanctuary would
be destroyed, that what God had already
determined would, eventually, be "poured
out on the desolator" (R.S.V.), and that
"the most holy" place would again be
anointed, or dedicated. Furthermore, chap-
ter 9 provides a starting point for the
2300-day period of chapter 8.
D.
Gabriel greeted Daniel in chapter 9
with the announcement that he had "now
come forth to give" Daniel "skill and un-
38
derstanding," evidently with respect to that
which the prophet has just said (ch. 8:
27) he did not understand. If chapter 9
does not complete the explanation of chap-
ter 8, then the Bible leaves the 2300 "days"
a mystery, and the angel Gabriel never
complied fully with his commission to
explain the vision to Daniel.
E. Daniel's importunate appeal in chap-
ter 9:19 to "defer not" the implementation
of His promise through Jeremiah the
prophet that Jerusalem (and the temple)
would be restored after seventy years, may
be construed as implying that Daniel mis-
understood the 2300-day desolation of
chapter 8:14 to portend a lengthening of
its desolate state.
It thus appears that Gabriel intended
the "seventy weeks of years" of chapter
9:25 to explain the first part of the 2300
"days" of chapter 8:14.
8.
What event was to mark the
starting point of the seventy "weeks
of years" (R.S.V.) and the 2300 days?
Dan. 9:25. Compare Ezra 6:14; 7:1,
8, 11-26.
NOTE.—For an explanation of why the
decree of Artaxerxes issued in 457 B.C. is
accepted as "the commandment to restore
and to build Jerusalem," refer to Lesson
4, note to question 2. In view of the fact
that the seventy weeks of years of chapter
9:25 were given in explanation of the 2300
days of chapter 8:14, it is evident that
the two time periods are related in some
way to each other. Inasmuch as Gabriel
specifices the beginning of the seventy
weeks, we may assume that this marks also
the beginning of the 2300 days. Were the
two time periods not closely related, then
Gabriel, and the Bible, leave the 2300 days
floating, as it were, and not anchored in
any way to the events of history.
The Judgment-Hour Message
9.
When would the 2300 days of
Daniel 8:14 expire?
ANSWER.-1844.
NOTE.—"Thus far every specification of
the prophecies is strikingly fulfilled, and
the beginning of the seventy weeks is
fixed beyond question at 457 B.C., and their
expiration in A.D. 34....
"From this data there is no difficulty in
finding the termination of the 2300 days.
The seventy weeks-490 days—having been
cut off from the 2300, there were 1810 days
remaining. After the end of 490 days, the
1810 days were still to be fulfilled. From
A.D. 34, 1810 years extended to 1844. Con-
sequently the 2300 days of Daniel 8:14
terminate in 1844."—The
Great Contro-
versy,
page 328.
10.
What event was foretold as
taking place at the end of the 2300
days? Dan. 8:14.
NOTE.—In Lesson 9 we found that while
the great tyrant of prophecy could not
directly influence the sanctuary in heaven,
he could, and did, succeed in depriving
countless millions of people of a knowledge
of the saving ministry of our great High
Priest there. For them, the effect was the
complete desolation of the sanctuary in
heaven. The context of Daniel 8:14 re-
quires that this cleansing include a res-
toration of the damage done by the little
horn in desolating the sanctuary. At the
end of the 2300 prophetic days, or years, a
knowledge of the full ministry of Christ
there, and access to His ministry, was to
be restored. Gabriel told Daniel (12:4)
that the book was to be shut up and sealed
"even to the time of the end," that is, the
end of the "time, times, and a half" or
1260 years, about A.D. 1798.
The angel also assured Daniel that at
that far-off "time of the end" "many"
would "run to and fro, and knowledge"
concerning the sealed portions of the book
of Daniel would "be increased." Daniel
12:4. Just before and after 1798 the
prophecies of Daniel came in for more
thoroughgoing study by more people than
ever before. This study pointed to the
year 1844 as marking the close of the 2300
days, or years. The angel of Revelation 10
came to announce the unsealing of the book
of Daniel, to proclaim its time periods to
be at an end, and to summon men to a
study of the sanctuary. See Rev. 10:1 to
11:1.
139 1
11.
What was Daniel instructed to
do with the prophetic messages ac-
corded him? Dan. 12:4, 7. Compare
Dan. 7:1.
12.
What graphic portrayal of the
unsealing of Daniel's prophecy was
given John the revelator? In con-
nection with the unsealing of Daniel,
what subject, in particular, was to
receive attention? Rev. 10:1 to 11:1.
NOTE.—"This time, which the angel de-
clares with a solemn oath, is not the end
of this world's history, neither of proba-
tionary time, but of prophetic time, which
should precede the advent of our Lord."—
Ellen G. White Comments,
S.D.A. Bible
Commentary,
Vol. 7, p. 971.
The fateful announcement that "there
should be no more delay" (R.S.V.) heralds
the arrival of "the time of the end" fore-
told by Daniel. God's message for this
"time of the end" is mentioned in the
opening verses of Revelation 11, where
John, still speaking of God's people at the
time of the end, "was given a measuring
rod like a staff," and told, "Rise and
measure the temple of God and the altar
and those who worship there." Rev. 11:1,
R.S.V. It was to •be a message concerning
Christ as our great High Priest ministering
in the sanctuary in heaven above and
concerning God's people on earth "who
worship there" by faith. The message in
Revelation 11 about the sanctuary in
heaven is closely related to that of chapter
14:7 announcing the arrival of the great
hour of God's judgment.
13.
What solemn messages were to
be proclaiMed to the worli at the
close of the 2300 years? Rev. 14:6 17.
NOTE.—The first of these three messages
is a call to worship God acccrding to the
provisions of the "everlasting gospel," in
view of the fact that the solemn hour of
His judgment has come. The second angel's
message is a warning against all substitute
gospels. The third angel warns against
being indentified in any way with the great
tyrant of Bible prophecy, or antichrist, and
graphically portrays the fearful fate of
those "who worship the beast and his
image, and whosoever receiveth the mark
of his name." His reign is coming to an
end, the judgments foretold in the books of
Daniel and Revelation are about to be
poured out, and God calls His people to
come out of Babylon. Rev. 1.4:9-11 and
18:1-4 announce the end of antichrist's
reign, and appeal to all of God's people
who have not yet done so, to "come out of
her" in order not to be adjudged accom-
plices in her sins and as deserving of her
plagues.
Lesson 11, for March 18, 1967
Christ Our Righteous Judge
MEMORY VERSE:
"We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that
everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he
hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5:10.
SCRIPTURES:
Dan. 7:9-14, 26, 27; 2 Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 20:11-15.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Great Controversy," pages 479-491; "S.D.A. Bible Commen-
tary."
STUDY AIM:
An understanding of the nature, purpose, and scope of the judgment
of the last great day.
[ 40 ]
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. A Day of Judgment
1.
The judgment scene. Dan. 7:9, 10.
2.
The decisions rendered. Dan.
7:11, 13, 14, 22, 26, 27; Rev. 11:15.
3.
All nations judged. Joel 3:2, 11-17..
4.
Christ as judge. John 5:22, 27;
Acts 17:30, 31.
II. Judgment of the Great Tyrant
5. God's people delivered. Dan. 2:34,
,
35, 44, 45; 7:1
,
1, 26; 8:25; 9:27;
11:45.
'6. Divine venegance upon the tyrant.
2 Thess. 2:8.
7. The judgment of mystical Babylon.
Rev. 16:19; 17:1, 14-17; 18:8,
20, 21.
Ill. The Judgment of God's People
8.
All must appear. 2 Cor. 5:10;
1 Peter 4:17.
9.
Righteous as well as wicked judged.
Matt. 22:11-13; 25:31-34, 41, 46.
10.
Proclamation of the judgment:
Rev. 14:6-11.
11.
Judged by God's moral law.
James 2:10-12.
IV. Sentence Executed
12.
The verdict issued. Matt. 16:27;
Rev. 22:11, 12.
13.
Sentence executed on the impeni-
tent. 2 Thess. 1:6-10; Rev. 15:1;
20:11-15.
14.
The saints awarded eternal life.
Matt. 25:34; 1 Cor. 12:51-54.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Christ qualified to be our righteous
Judge by being "made like unto His
brethren" "in all things," and by being
"in all points tempted like as we are,
vet without sin." Hebrews 2:17; 4:15.
The Father has "given Him authority to
execute judgment . . . because He is the
Son of man." John 5:27.
By "the judgment," in this lesson, we
refer to the entire process by which God
intervenes to bring the course of this
world's history to a halt, to separate the
righteous from the wicked, and to mete out
to each group the reward for which it haS
qualified. To be sure, God needs no
judicial procedure by which to determine
a person's eligibility for eternal life. The
Bible writers make use of the human
judicial process to illustrate the fact that
God is not arbitrary in deciding individual
destiny, but infinitely fair and just. God's
own people stand before His judgment bar
that their right to eternal life may be
authenticatedthe wicked, that God may
demonstrate their characters to be irre-
formably out• of harmony with the prin-
ciples of heaven.
The Day of Judgment
1.
Describe the great day of divine
judgment portrayed in Daniel 7.
Dan. 7:9, 10.
•
NOTE.—In the judgment scene presented
in Daniel 7 the fourth beast and the little
horn are arraigned before the bar of di-
vine justice, charged with defiance of God
and with the persecution of His people on
earth. The Judge of the universe wrests
the kingdom of this world from their
power and awards it to the Son of God
and to His faithful people. Seventh-day
Adventists have also thought of this scene
as a portrayal of the judgment of individ-
uals, as well as of 'organized human op-
position to God and the saints.
2.
What matters are considered,
and what decisions rendered, in the
judgment of Daniel 7? Dan. 7:11, 13,
14, 22, 26, 27; Rev. 11:15.
[ 41 ]
3.
How is this day of judgment
presented by the prophet Joel? Joel
3:2, 11-17.
NOTE.—Joel presents the execution of
divine sentence upon the wicked nations
of earth in terms of the way in which
things would have worked out had Israel
as a nation remained faithful to God and
to her appointed mission. See Lessons 1
and 4. It is appropriate to think of the
scene presented in Joel 3, with respect to
literal Jerusalem, as illustrative of that
described in Revelation 20, where the hosts
of the wicked surround the New Jerusalem
and God sits upon His throne to execute
judgment upon them.
4.
What is Christ's role in the
judgment? How did He qualify for
this role? John 5:22, 27; Acts 17:
30, 31.
Judgment of the Great Tyrant
5.
In what various ways does Dan-
iel refer to the judgment of the great
tyrant of prophecy? Dan. 2:34, 35, 44,
45; 7:11, 26; 8:25; 9:27; 11:45. Com-
pare Dan. 12:1.
NOTE.—These descriptions all reflect:
(1) an act of judgment that is supernatural,
for no human hand is lifted in defense of
the guilty, nor is any needed to execute
the sentence; (2) an act of judgment that
is universal; it eliminates all earthly oppo-
sition to God and to His people; (3) an
act of judgment that takes place at the
close of human history, and inaugurates
God's eternal, righteous reign on earth.
6.
How does Paul speak of God's
judgment of the tyrant? 2 Thess. 2:8.
NoTE.—"The words of this verse have
sometimes been used to describe the de-
struction of the wicked at the second com-
ing of Christ. It is true that the wicked
living at that time will suddenly be slain,
but Paul is here dealing with the fate of
`that Wicked,' the wicked one,' not with
that of the wicked in general."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on 2 Thess. 2:8.
7.
How, variously, does John de-
scribe the judgment of Babylon the
Great and her accomplices? Rev. 16:
19; 17:1, 14-17; 18:8, 20, 21.
The Judgment of God's People
8.
Who else must appear before
God's judgment bar? Why? 2 Cor.
5:10; 1 Peter 4:17.
NOTE.—The Scriptures present God's
own people as also appearing before the
bar of divine justice. Their cases come
before the Judge of heaven and earth, not
in order that He may be informed of their
innocence or guilt, but in order to attest
their eligibility for receiving the gift of
eternal life and for admission to His
righteous kingdom.
9.
How did Christ present this
aspect of the judgment? Matt. 22:11-
13; 25:31-34, 41, 46.
NOTE.-"By the king's examination of
the guests at the feast is represented a
work of judgment. The guests at the
gospel feast are those who profess to serve
God, those whose names are written in
the book of life. But not all who profess
to be Christians are true disciples. Before
the final reward is given, it must be de-
cided who are fitted to share the inheritance
of the righteous. This decision must be
made prior to the second coming of Christ
in the clouds of heaven; for when He
comes, His reward is with Him, 'to give
every man according as his work shall be.'
Rev. 22:12. Before His coming, then, the
character of every man's work will have
been determined, and to every one of
Christ's followers the reward will have
been apportioned according to his deeds."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
page 310,
1
42 ]
10.
What solemn proclamation im-
mediately precedes the day of judg-
ment? Rev. 14:6-11.
NOTE.—God has entrusted to His rem-
nant church the responsibility for proclaim-
ing His judgment-hour message. The first
angel of the heavenly trio announces that
the hour of God's judgment has come.
The second introduces the villain who is to
be judged—Babylon the Great. The third
issues the indictment of those who are to
suffer divine wrath: They have espoused
the cause of antichrist, and so must perish
with him. For this reason God summons
His people still in Babylon to "come out
of her" in order to avoid participation in
her sins and in the "plagues" meted out to
her. Rev. 18:4.
11.
By what divine standard does
God measure the lives of men? How
thorough is the divine tribunal?
James 2:10-12. See also Eccl. 12:13,
14.
NOTE.—"Every man's work passes in
review before God and is registered for
faithfulness or unfaithfulness. Opposite each
name in the books of heaven is entered
with terrible exactness every wrong word,
every selfish act, every unfulfilled duty,
and every secret sin, with every artful
dissembling. Heaven-sent warnings or re-
proofs neglected, wasted moments, unim-
proved opportunities, the influence exerted
for good or for evil, with its far-reaching
results, all are chronicled by the recording
angel.
"The law of God is the standard by
which the characters and the lives of men
will be tested in the judgment."—The
Great Controversy,
page 482.
NOTE.—This solemn decree (Rev. 22:11,
12) reflects the fact that, by his own
choice, every man's character has been
fixed for eternity. The sun of divine
mercy sets, the long day of salvation
comes to a close, God withdraws His
Spirit from the earth, mercy no longer
pleads with hard hearts, and human pro-
bation is at an end.
13.
How is sentence executed upon
the perversely impenitent? 2 Thess.
1:6-10; Rev. 15:1; 20:11-15.
NOTE.—The outpouring of divine wrath
in the seven last plagues has the effect of
drawing a clear line of demarcation be-
tween the righteous and the wicked. God's
people maintain their loyalty to Him
despite the great time of trouble through
which they pass, whereas the wicked blas-
pheme God and repent not of their deeds.
Rev. 16:9, 11, 13, 14, 21.
At the close of the millennium "the
King of kings pronounces sentence upon
the rebels against His government and
executes justice upon those who have
transgressed His law and oppressed His
people."—The
Great Controversy,
page
666.
"The whole wicked world stand ar-
raigned at the bar of God on the charge
of high treason against the government of
heaven. They have none to plead their
cause; they are without excuse; and the
sentence of eternal death is pronounced
against them."—Ibid., p. 668.
14.
What award is granted God's
faithful people? Matt. 25:34; 1 Cor.
15:51-54.
Sentence Executed
12. What verdict is finally issued by
the Judge of the universe? When will
this occur? Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:11, •
12. See also Rom. 2:6-11.
43
How many Branch Sabbath
Schools does your Sabbath
School operate?
Lesson 12, for March 25, 1967
Christ Our King
MEMORY VERSE:
"The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our
Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever." Rev. 11:15.
SCRIPTURES:
Dan. 2:34, 35, 44, 45; Rev. 21:1-5; 22:1-5.
STUDY HELPS:
"The Great Controversy," pages 674-678; "S.D.A. Bible Commen-
tary."
STUDY AIM:
To create a vivid picture of Christ as King of kings, and of life
with Him under His eternal, righteous reign.
Lesson Outline:
Introduction
I. Christ in the Book of Daniel
1.
Christ as the "stone." Dan. 2:34,
44, 45.
2.
Christ as Son of man. Dan. 7:
13, 14.
3.
Christ as "Prince." Dan. 8:11,
25; 9:25, 26.
4.
Christ as Michael, the Deliverer.
Dan. 12:1.
II. Parables of the Kingdom
5.
Christ as Son of man. Luke 19:10.
6.
Christ coming as Son of man.
Matt. 24:27, 30; 25:31; 26:64.
7. Christ as King. Matt. 25:31-34.
III. Christ in the Revelation
8. Christ watches over His church.
Rev. 1:13-16.
9. Christ as King of kings. Rev. 17:
14; 19:11-16.
10. Christ coming in the clouds of
heaven. Rev. 1:7; 14:14; 19:11.
11. The marriage feast. Rev. 19:7-9.
IV. A Glorious Future
12. Christ receives His kingdom.
Dan. 7:13, 14; Rev. 3:21; 11:15.
13. The saints inherit the kingdom
with Christ. Dan. 7:18, 27; Matt.
25:34.
THE LESSON
Introduction
Each of the great lines of prophecy
presented in the book of Daniel closes with
the annihilation of the forces of evil and
with the establishment of the universal,
righteous kingdom of God on earth. Dan.
2:44; 7:13, 14; 8:25; 9:24, 27; 11:45 to
12:3. The same is true with the successive
lines of prophecy in the book of Revelation.
Rev. 3:21; 4:11; 5:13; 7:15-17; 11:15-17;
19:11, 16; 20:11; 22:1, 5. Nearly every
one of the Old Testament prophets closes
his message with a scene from the eternal
kingdom, and some, like Isaiah, return to
this theme at the close of each section of
their prophetic message. In His parables
and other discourses Christ repeatedly
pointed forward to the establishment of
His kingdom. The writers of the New
Testament do likewise. He who accepts
Christ as his Saviour today and his King
tomorrow can afford to endure patiently
the trials and vicissitudes of this life in
the realization that, in God's own time,
right will triumph.
Christ in the Book of Daniel
1. By what symbol is Christ por-
trayed in the dream 'of the metallic
image? Dan. 2:34, 44, 45. •
[ 44 3
2.
By what title does Daniel refer
to Christ? In what setting? Dan. 7:
13, 14. Compare Dan. 3:25.
NOTE.—"Instead of the translation 'a
son of man' the translation 'One, human in
form' would more adequately represent the
Aramaic phrase. God chose to present
His Son in prophetic vision with special
emphasis on His humanity (see MB 14).
"At the incarnation the Son of God took
upon Himself the form of humanity (John
1:1-4,'12, 14; Phil. 2:7; Heb. 2:14; etc.)
and became the Son of man (see on Mark
2:10), so uniting divinity with humanity by
a tie never to be broken (DA
25)."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Dan. 7:13.
3.
By what title does Daniel refer
to Christ in His conflict with the
great tyrant? Dan. 8:11, 25; 9:25, 26.
NOTE—As the title "Son of man" iden-
tifies Christ as the incarnate Son of God,
a true human being, so the title "Prince
of princes" identifies Him as a divine Being,
ruler of heaven and earth. Isaiah had al-
ready declared the coming Messiah to be
the "Prince of 'Peace." Isa. 9:6, 7. He is
also called the "Prince of the covenant"
(Dan. 11:22), and "Prince of the host"
(ch. 8:11).
4.
What title dces Daniel use of
Christ in His role as deliverer of His
people? Dan. 12:1. Compare Dan.
10:13; Rev. 12:7-9.
NOTE.—"Michael.
Heb.
Mika'el,
literally,
`who [is] like God?' He is here described
as 'one of the chief princes [Heb.
sarim].'
Later He is described as Israel's particu-
lar
,
protector (ch. 12:1). His identity is
not definitely stated here, but a comparison
with other scriptures identifies Him as
Christ. Jude 9 terms Him 'the archangel.'
According to 1 Thess 4:16, the 'voice of
the archangel' is associated with the res-
urrection of the saints at the coming of
Jesus. Christ declared that the dead will
come forth from their graves when they
hear the voice of the Son of man (John
5:28). It thus seems clear that Michael
is none other than the Lord Jesus Himself
(see EW 164; cf. DA 421). The name
Michael [as applied to Christ] appears in
the Bible only in apocalyptic passages (Dan.
10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7). More-
over, it is used only in instances where
Christ is in direct conflict with Satan. The
name in Hebrew, signifying 'who is like
God?' is at once a question and a challenge.
In view of the fact that Satan's rebellion is
essentially an attempt to install himself
on the throne of God and 'be like the Most
High' (Isa. 14:14), the name Michael is
a most fitting one for Him who has under-
taken to vindicate the character of God
and disprove Satan's claims."—S.D.A.
Bible
Commentary,
on Dan. 10:13.
Parables of the Kingdom
5.
By what favorite title did Christ
usually refer to Himself? Luke 19:10.
NOTE. "Jesus was literally 'the Son of
man,' both in a purely historic sense (see
Luke 1:31-35; Rom. 1:3, 4; Gal. 4:4) and
in a higher sense. The title, Son of man,
designates Him as the incarnate Christ
(see John 1:14; Phil. 2:6-8). It points to
the miracle whereby Creator and creature
were united in one divine-human person.
It testifies to the truth that sons of men
may indeed become sons of God (John
1:12; Gal. 4:3-7; 1 John 3:1, 2). Deity
was identified with humanity in order that
humanity might be made over again into
the image of divinity (DA 25). Concern-
ing Jesus as the Son of God, see on Luke
1:35; John 1:1-3; and as Son of man, on
Luke 2:49, 52; John 1:14; see Additional
Note on John
1."—S.D.A. Bible Commen-
tary,
on Mark 2:10.
6.
In what setting is Christ's use of
the title "Son of man" reminiscent of
Daniel's use of the term? Matt. 24:27,
30; 25:31; 26:64.
7.
In which of His parables does
Christ speak of Himself as King?
How does He refer to the establish-
ment of His eternal kingdom? Matt.
25:31-34.
[45
1
NOTE.—"Throne of his glory.
Or, 'His
glorious throne.' Christ was seated upon the
throne of the universe prior to His incar-
nation (DA 22, 23). Upon His ascension He
was once more enthroned (AA 38), as
Priest and King (Zech. 6:13; AA 39), and
shared His Father's throne (DA 832; Rev.
3:21). At the completion of the work of
investigative judgment, begun in 1844 (see
on Rev. 14:6, 7), Jesus will receive 'His
kingdom' (GC 426, 613, 614; EW 55, 280).
The final coronation and enthronement of
Christ as King of the universe takes place
at the close of the millennium, before all
men—those who are subjects of His glo-
rious kingdom and those who have refused
allegiance to
Him."—S.D.A. Bible Com-
mentary,
on Matt. 25:31.
Christ in the Revelation
8.
How does John present Christ in
His role as Lord of the church? Rev.
1:13-16.
NOTE.—"When the glorified Christ mani-
fested Himself to John in celestial splendor
He still appeared to him in the likeness of
a human being. Although Christ was eter-
nally pre-existent as
.
the Second Person of
the Godhead, and ever remains so, His
assumption of humanity is for all eternity
to come (see Vol. 5, pp. 917-919)."—S.D.A.
Bible Commentary,
on Rev. 1:13.
9.
By what other titles does John
refer to Christ in His role as deliverer
of His people? What is said of His
second coming in power and glory?
Rev. 17:14; 19:11-16. Compare Dan.
12:1, 2.
NoTE.—The title "King of kings and
Lord of lords" belongs to Christ in a
special way at the time when "the king-
doms of this world" have "become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ."
Rev. 11:15. Christ has completed His
ministry as our great High Priest and now
stands up to receive His kingdom and to
deliver His beleaguered people.
10.
How does John describe Christ's
second coming in power and glory?
Rev. 1:7; 14:14; 19:11.
11.
What symbolic description of
the establishment of Christ's kingdom
is reminiscent of one of His parables?
Rev. 19:7-9. Compare Matt. 22:2-14.
Noit.—"The wedding here referred to
consists of the reception by Christ of His
kingdom, as represented by the New Jeru-
salem, and His coronation as King of
kings and Lord of lords, in heaven at the
close of His priestly ministry before the .
plagues are poured out (EW 55, 251, 280,
281; GC 427, 428; see on ch. 17:14). As
in the parable of the Ten Virgins, the wait-
ing saints are represented as guests invited
to the wedding (ch. 19:9; GC 426, 427; cf.
Matt. 25:1-10)."—S.D.A.
Bible Commen-
tary,
on Rev. 19:7.
A Glorious Future
12.
In what language do Daniel
and John refer to Christ's receiving
His kingdom? Dan. 7:13, 14; Rev.
3:21; 11:15.
NOTE.—"In Luke 19:12-15 Christ is
represented as a nobleman who took his
journey into a far country to receive for
himself a kingdom, and to return. At the
close of His priestly ministry in the sanc-
tuary, while still in heaven, Christ receives
the kingdom from His Father and then
returns to earth for His saints (see GC
428; EW 55,
280)."—S.D.A. Bible Com-
mentary,
on Dan. 7:14.
13.
What glorious future awaits
those who remain loyal to Christ?
Dan. 7:18, 27; Matt. 25:34. See also
Rev. 3:21; 21:3, 4; 22:3-5.
NOTE.—"There, immortal minds will con-
template with never-failing delight the
wonders of creative power, the mysteries
46
of redeeming love. There will be no cruel,
deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of
God. Every faculty will be developed,
every capacity increased. The acquirement
of knowledge will not weary the mind or
exhaust the energies. There the grandest
enterprises may be carried forward, the
loftiest aspirations reached, the highest
ambitions realized; and still there will arise
new heights to surmount, new wonders to
admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh
objects to call forth the powers of mind
and soul and body."-The
Great Contro-
versy,
page 677.
THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING
March 25, 1967
Far Eastern Division
The Far Eastern Division is to benefit from the Thirteenth Sabbath
Offering overflow the first quarter of 1967. This will be the twelfth time
that it has benefited since World War II. During the previous eleven
times, it has received the grand total of $630,760.56. This has meant much
to the various projects that have benefited.
The division has eighteen medical institutions, not to mention an even
larger number of clinics. During these past twenty years only five of
its medical institutions have been helped by a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering
overflow. A total of $157,698.78, or 25 percent of the total received, has
gone into medical work. This year the Seoul Sanitarium and Hospital is
to benefit by one third of the overflow.
Since 1946, twelve of our thirty-eight colleges and secondary school's
have been assisted through the overflow gifts. The total assistance thus
received amounted to $235,000, or better than 37 percent of the total
received during this same period. Mountain View College on Mindano
in the Philippines will benefit from this quarter's overflow.
For years the Far Eastern Division has been trying to find a suitable
location for an evangelistic center in the city of Hong Kong, with its
almost four million people. The site has been secured, and the third
portion of • the overflow will help in establishing this much-needed light-
house in this great city. Give generously on March 25.
Lessons for the Second Quarter, 1967
Sabbath School members who have failed to receive a senior
Lesson Quarterly
for the second quarter of 1967 will be helped by the following outline in studying
the first lesson. The title of the series -is, "Selected Lessons from the Life of
Christ." The title of the first lesson is "The Reception of Jesus." The memory
verse is Luke 2:10, 11. The study helps are
The Desire of Ages,
pages 44-67, and
the
S.D.A. Bible Commentary,
Vol. 5. The texts to be studied are:
Ques. 1. Luke 2:8-12.
Ques. 2. Luke 2:13, 14.
Ques. 3. Luke 2 : 15-18.
Ques. 4. Luke 2:21; Matt. 1:21.
Ques. 5. Luke 2:24; Lev. 12:6-8.
Ques. 6. Luke 2 :22, 23 ; Num. 3 :13.
Ques. 7. Luke 2:27-32, 34, 35.
Ques. 8. Luke 2:36-38.
Ques. 9. Matt. 2:1, 2.
Ques. 10. Matt. 2:3-6; Micah 5:2.
Ques. 11. Matt. 2 : 7-12.
Ques. 12. Matt. 2:13-15.
Ques. 13. Matt. 2:16-18.
Ques. 14. Matt. 2:19-23; John 1:46.
[ 47
•
we.
s.
NEW GUINEA
THE FAR EASTERN DIVISION
Churches %V.
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE U.M.
8,109,702
285
28,860
47,428
EAST INDONESIA U.M.
8,165,000
200
13,165
18,266
FAR EASTERN ISLAND M.
146,100
6
535
797
JAPAN U.M.
98,399,074
68
6,103
10,809
KOREAN U.M.
27,489,848
229
28,435
94,018
N. PHILIPPINE U.M.
16,481,807
505
35,623
42,949
SO. CHINA ISLAND U.M.
16,312,325
36
7,565
15,392
SO. PHILIPPINE U.M.
6,763,000
292
31,645
47,795
SOUTHEAST ASIA U.
69,237,104
85
10,197
16,293
WEST INDONESIA U.M.
94,100,030
200
14,445
21,467
UNION TOTALS
345,203,960
1,906
176,575
315,214
KOREAN UNION MISS'',
wo. n.
SEOUL SANITARIUM-HOSPITAL
Established 1934
(One-third of Overflow)
OKOHA
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TOKYO
A
ARAHA
HONG KONG EVANGELISTIC CENTER
Land Already Purchased
(Oro-third of Overflow)
CANTO
•
H
ONG KONG
SOUTH CHINA.ISLAND
UNION MISSION
NORTH PHILIPPINE
I THAILAND
•
BAGUIO
UNION MISSION
C
4
7
1
sYr:*•
16
,,
,
CENTRAL PHILIPPINE
0
—
4r
UNION MISSION
MOUNTAIN VIEW COLLEGE
--150
Established 1949
(One-third of Overflow)
MALAY/4
JESSELTO
WALLA..JUR
S.
E. ASIA
UNION
SOUTH PHILIPPINE
UNION MISSION
GUAM/
tercr_ecs,
HALMAHERA
BORNEO
moms',
EAST
INDONESIA
\ 11?
UNION
MISSION
WEST INDONESIA UNION
MISSION
HOLLAND.
Anzonsurami.
